Warm My Heart
by lovesopure
Summary: Hey, for those of you who havent read “Warm My Heart,” please give it a read before you read “Echoes of You.” EoY is the sequel, so you have to know what happened in the first fic to understand the second :-DFINAL CHAPTER POSTED - STORY COMPLETED Both try
1. Here with me

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 1 uses "Here with Me" by Michelle Branch  
  
Chapter 1 - Here with me  
  
A boy . . . a calm, gentle, wonderful boy; a boy with character, with affection, concern . . . a boy with a past that was holding back his future . . . but nonetheless, a boy. He didn't know it, but she studied him; studied him right down to the flick of his wrists as he poured out his soul on the piano keys; down to the angle of his lips when they smiled at her. It had been so long since they had smiled at her. She knew it was her fault, she knew that she was the reason he was revisiting the anger of his past and spiraling into what seemed the depression of his future. And yet, when she looked at him, she forced her eyes away from his, again distancing their chance for happiness. Sure, she had externally put up a front so that no one could see how she lost her mind when he was even near her, but inside, she was soft and reachable; and had he even shot a glance in her direction, she could've soared higher above the clouds than the most efficient airplanes could reach.  
  
"What are you staring at?" Kayla asked Amy, waving her hand in front of Amy's face.  
  
"Nothing, I was just blanking out for a second. I've got a lot on my mind."  
  
"I wouldn't call Ephram Brown 'a lot.'" She responded in an irritated tone. "Besides, he should be the last thing you're thinking about. You know he's getting over Madison. What a joke! She was way too old for him!"  
  
"Why do you even care what I do with my life, Kayla? You never ask me how I am or call me when I'm feeling down. You just expect me to jump at everything you need. Maybe that's why I have Ephram on my mind . . . because he actually CARES about people's feelings." She said looking back down at her homework.  
  
"No need to get all psycho defensive, Amy . . . god. So listen, about that party tonight, you're coming right?"  
  
Amy rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I guess so. I mean that IS what you want right? Me to just come everywhere with you? Whatever, I don't have anything better to do anyway." She said.  
  
"Awesome," Kayla said excitedly, now looking at Ephram. "You're little boyfriend's getting up. You better hurry up."  
  
Amy watched as Ephram packed his bag and started heading in her direction. It was true, they weren't getting along just then, so she wondered why he was making an attempt to reach out to her now. And even though she knew that their conversation may end on a bad note, her heart raced still.  
  
"Amy," he said looking at her straight faced. "Come with me for a second."  
  
"Oh . . . okay." She said getting up and following him.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"It's been a long, long time since I looked into the mirror  
  
I guess that I was blind  
  
Now my reflection's getting clearer  
  
Now that you're gone things will never be the same again  
  
There's not a minute that goes by every hour of every day  
  
You're such a part of me  
  
But I just pulled away  
  
Well, I'm not the same girl you used to know  
  
I wish I said the words I never showed  
  
I know you had to go away  
  
I died just a little, and I feel it now  
  
You're the one I need  
  
I believe that I would cry just a little  
  
Just to have you back now  
  
Here with me  
  
Here with me"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
They stopped at a bulletin board in one of the hallways. It had a poster for their class trip. He looked from it to her, and said.  
  
"Do you know how much it costs to go?" still with a serious face. He showed no emotion to her, but she knew he still considered her a friend; his recent sadness was just masking his usual feelings.  
  
"Yeah, I think like $100 or something. Pretty reasonable for staying at a ski lodge for a weekend, I think." She added in hopes he would say he agreed and was going.  
  
"Yeah, that is a pretty good deal. So listen, you dropped your notebook after last class. I picked it up, I didn't read it though! I promise." He said, again with seriousness.  
  
"Thanks. I mean, it's only notes though, so it wouldn't have mattered. But thanks just the same. You know Ephram, I . . ."  
  
He started walking away. She watched him intently and as much as she wanted to scream out to him, stop him, pull him into her arms and beg him to forgive her for being such a horrible friend, she didn't. It was as if she was watching a movie; a movie that made her cry and yell at the characters to just stop being so stubborn and make up already. Just like in the movies, she had deserved to stand there as her dream man walked away. For all those months he had offered her his love and affection, his friendship; and for all those months she had turned it down, waiting for Colin. Now he was breaking from a relationship with Madison and was taking harder than either of them thought possible. She knew he felt like a failure; like he'd never amount to anything when it came to love, but she also knew that that wasn't true, and made her goal to show him he could love.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"You know that silence is loud when all you hear is your heart  
  
And I wanted so badly just to be a part of something strong and  
true  
  
But I was scared and left it all behind  
  
I know you had to go away  
  
I died just a little, and I feel it now  
  
You're the one I need  
  
I believe that I would cry just a little  
  
Just to have you back now  
  
Here with me  
  
Here with me"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
She looked back at the poster on the bulletin board and smiled. If they went on this trip together, there was a chance they could at least be friends again. A weekend was plenty of time to make up. She only hoped Kayla wouldn't want to tag along.  
  
Her cell phone rang and she checked the caller ID. "She just left! What does she want? Why do I even hang onto her anyway?" she said reluctantly moving her finger to press the answer button.  
  
"Amy! Oh my God! Where are you?" she said.  
  
"Kayla, obviously I'm still at school. You just left like 10 minutes ago."  
  
"Hurry up and get home! I've got outfits for us to wear at the party tonight, and we have plenty to discuss before we go."  
  
"Yeah, okay," she said hitting the "end call" button. She sighed, walking out the door of the school. She saw Ephram smiling and laughing with Wendell and some girls. He laughed with them the way he used to laugh with her. She turned away, for seeing him smile made her blush in happiness, yet cut into her heart as it seemed he would never again share that emotion for her. She was relieved to know that even though he was in such a low state of mind, he could still be happy somehow.  
  
"Here goes nothing," she said getting into her car and driving home. The party that night would serve as a good distraction. She needed to mellow out again; to realize that she couldn't keep expecting Ephram to jump at everything she wanted; not now, not like before.  
  
Kayla stood on her front door with a giant fake smile on her face as she held up the shopping bags. "We've got to dress you up nice tonight . . . maybe you'll find someone."  
  
"I'm not trying to find someone. I already love someone." she asked angrily.  
  
"Who said tonight was about love? It's a chance for you to have a little fun. You know guys drool all over themselves when they see you. Besides, it's not like you're being disloyal to your little boyfriend. He doesn't even care about you anymore."  
  
"Shut up, he's my friend, we're just having a problem right now. Kind of like you and I, except he'll come around." She said.  
  
It was as if Kayla didn't even notice the sarcasm or resentment in her friend's voice. "Well come on, try these things on!" she said following Amy into the house.  
  
Amy stopped as she saw her brother on the phone with someone, laughing. When he made eye contact with her, his smile faded. "What? Am I a destroyer of happiness?" she asked him.  
  
"Look man, I've gotta go. I'll call you back later, okay? Tonight's going to rule." He said quickly, hanging up the phone.  
  
"Amy, do you HAVE to butt in my business?" he asked starting to leave.  
  
"Who was that?" she asked shouting at him as he made his way up the stairs.  
  
"My friend. We're going to our other friend's tonight for a wicked bad party. Don't tell mom and dad, okay? They'll freak."  
  
"Yeah, whatever," she said. "Wicked bad party my ass." she muttered under her breath. She began to turn back to her uncaring friend but on her way glanced lazily out the window. She saw Ephram drive by with Delia next to him. Just as she was starting to get her mind off him, he forced his way back in. He always did that; taunted her. She knew she deserved it, needed a reminder of how wonderful he was. But she never minded, as long as she could think of him wanting and needing her again someday.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````  
  
"And I'm asking  
  
And I'm wanting you to come back to me  
  
Please?  
I never will forget that look upon your face  
  
How you turned away and left without a trace  
  
But I understand that you did what you had to do  
  
And I thank you  
I know you had to go away  
  
I died just a little, and I feel it now  
  
You're the one I need  
  
I believe that I would cry just a little  
  
Just to have you back now  
  
Here with me  
  
Here with me" ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````` A/N: Well, this isn't the sequel to Whispered Kisses. I figured I'd write a story in between, give some thought to a sequel. Besides, what fun would it be to read what happens right away? We have to pretend there was a span of time between then and the sequel. So this is a whole new story. I hope you guys like it. Reviews are appreciated. Thanks again! 


	2. Cry me a river

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters, I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 2 uses: "Cry me a River" by Justin Timberlake. Sorry all you Anti- Justin, Anti-pop people, I rarely put these songs in my chapters, but it's so fitting. Please give it a chance. Oh, and the song is from Ephram's perspective.  
  
Chapter 2: Cry me a River  
  
Amy and Kayla had been at the party for about an hour when Amy's fears turned into the truth. As she had guessed, Kayla had already run off with some man, *No doubt trying to have her own little fun*, leaving Amy to sit on the couch around a crowd of drunken guys.  
  
"Hey, sweetie, want a drink?" One of them asked, shoving it in her face.  
  
"No, that's okay," she said as he accidentally knocked into her and spilled it all over her skirt. She looked down, less than amused, then stood up sighing. *I'm not a loser, I just don't drink. Not after that frat party, not after what drinking did to Colin.* As she was walking away, an arm extended and pulled her by her inner elbow. The fingers were rough; they left imprints on her smooth skin as they jerked her back. She looked now, wanting to know who was doing this to her. It was a young man with light brown hair. Just as she opened her mouth to protest, his words interrupted, forcing her own back inside of her. "You're Amy Abbott! So wait, since your boyfriend's dead, you're available?" he asked, obviously already three sheets to the wind. Even as she stood a few feet away, the mixture of bad cologne and vodka swirled toward her. After overcoming the horrible attack on her sense of smell, tears began to form in her eyes. She spoke loudly now, proud to be sober so that she would remember this moment in time,  
  
"First of all, I don't think saying something like 'your boyfriend's dead,' is anything but rude and inconsiderate. Secondly, I socialize with whom I choose to, and by me sitting on this couch, I wasn't inviting you and your friends to spill their alcohol on me and then ask me abrupt questions."  
  
"So wait, you ARE available then?" the guy that had spilled his beer on her asked. She stormed away, needing to clear her head and air out her skirt. Outside it was peaceful, if you could ignore the screaming, laughing, music, and intoxicated people jumping on the trampoline. While she had been focused on Ephram's depression, she had forgotten that she was just starting to overcome her own. Ephram did that to her; made her forget about herself and her own pain. When he was around her the only things she felt were love and freedom; two feelings she felt when solely around him, no one else. She knew his feelings about her were quite opposite.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"You were my sun  
You were my earth  
But you didn't know all the ways I loved you, no  
So you took a chance  
And made other plans  
But I bet you didn't think your thing would come crashing  
down, no  
  
You don't have to say, what you did,  
I already know, I found out from him  
Now there's just no chance, for you and me, there'll never be  
And don't it make you sad about it  
  
You told me you loved me  
Why did you leave me, all alone  
Now you tell me you need me  
When you call me, on the phone  
Girl I refuse, you must have me confused  
With some other guy  
Your bridges were burned, and now it's your turn  
To cry, cry me a river  
Cry me a river-er  
Cry me a river  
Cry me a river-er, yea yea"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
Someone came from behind her and placed their hand on her back. She turned, ready to scream if it was those guys from earlier, but held her words when she saw that it was Bright; spongebob figure in one hand, drink in the other.  
  
"Amy? What the hell? You're being social again?" he asked taking a sip from his cup.  
  
"Bright? What the hell? You're still an asshole?" she shot back.  
  
"Woah, woah, no need to go crazy . . ." he said, then felt badly as he saw her look down. He knew people had been calling her crazy since the day Colin had died. "Look, I didn't mean it that way. I just, well, as shocked as I am to say this, I'm really glad to see you're feeling more like yourself again." He said.  
  
"Yeah, well I didn't exactly come on my own terms, so don't get too excited. Kayla forced me. But I see you're back to your usual self again too, drinking. When exactly did Spongebob start drinking?"  
  
"Isn't this the coolest thing ever? My buddy took it from some little kid. Hey, do you think it's collectable? I should ask Ephram, he knows all about that kind of thing."  
  
"Don't make fun of him!" she retorted defensively.  
  
"I'm not, I was being serious. About Ephram, you should talk to him. You guys are too close to fight like this . . . oh, hey, I'll catch you later, some of the guys rented the ultimate spongebob DVD!" He said running to catch up with his friends.  
  
She rolled her eyes. Ready to go back inside, she was horrified at what she saw. Ephram. Kayla. Talking. That couldn't be a good sign. As she got closer she saw he was laughing. *How can SHE make him laugh, and I could dance circle around him and he'd never even notice?* She stopped as she approached a wall she could hide behind. As horrible as she felt listening in on their conversation, she had to understand what was going on.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"I know that they say  
That some things are better left unsaid  
It wasn't like you only talked to him and you know it  
(Don't act like you don't know it)  
All of these things people told me  
Keep messing with my head  
(Messing with my head)  
You should've picked honesty  
Then you may not have blown it  
(Yea..)  
  
You don't have to say, what you did,  
(Don't have to say, what you did)  
I already know, I found out from him  
(I already know, uh)  
Now there's just no chance, for you and me, there'll never be  
(No chance, you and me)  
And don't it make you sad about it"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
"Damn, this party rules! Hey, listen, you should ease up on those drinks there, dark man." Kayla said playfully hitting him. Amy knew how much that nickname angered him, but instead of walking away, he laughed.  
  
"Yeah, I probably should. I'm getting a killer headache," he said pinching his forehead then closing his eyes.  
  
"Well hey, I mean, I've got some really good pills for that kind of thing. They work magic." She said pulling out an unlabeled orange tinted prescription pill bottle.  
  
"Awesome, thanks," he said popping one in, then asking for more. Amy was horrified. She flew out from behind the wall and ran in their direction, knocking the pills out of Ephram's hand.  
  
"Amy? What the hell?! I've got a headache, I needed those!" he said narrowing his eyes at her, taking another swig of his drink.  
  
"No, Ephram, what you need to do is put the drink down. These are prescription pills, Kayla," she said glancing down at her hand after picking one up. "Why would you give these to him? You don't know if he's allergic, and he's drinking." She said angrily.  
  
"I don't need you to be my watchdog, Amy!" He said. Obviously the alcohol was speaking for him; he never addressed her in such a cruel and accusing tone. "Kayla was only trying to help." He screamed. The room went silent.  
  
"Help you? Help you die, maybe. And about that watchdog thing, I'm sorry if being a concerned friend is such a bad thing." She said loudly.  
  
"So now you're okay with being my friend? What? I wasn't good enough before? I wasn't good enough to be your boyfriend? Hell, I wasn't Colin! I mean, who could be as great as Colin was, right? I tried being your friend after that and all you did was ignore me, push me away. So now I'm doing that to you, Amy. You know I'm having a rough time with Madison and I breaking up! Don't try crawling back to me now because you're lonely. You should've thought about that before!" he shouted, throwing his now empty cup to the ground and storming off.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
"You told me you loved me  
Why did you leave me, all alone  
(All alone)  
Now you tell me you need me  
When you call me, on the phone  
(When you call me on the phone)  
Girl I refuse, you must have me confused  
With some other guy  
(I'm not like them baby)  
Your bridges were burned, and now it's your turn  
(It's your turn)  
To cry, cry me a river  
(Go on and just)  
Cry me a river-er  
(Go on and just)  
Cry me a river  
(Baby go on and just)  
Cry me a river-er, yea yea  
  
Oh  
(Oh)  
The damage is done  
So I guess I be leaving  
Oh  
(Oh)  
The damage is done  
So I guess I be leaving  
Oh  
(Oh)  
The damage is done  
So I guess I be leaving  
Oh  
(Oh)  
The damage is done  
So I guess I be... leaving"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````  
  
"Oh, and Kayla? We're through! Don't call me, don't approach me. I'm sick of being your little tagalong. Don't ever ask me to do anything again, not after what you've done tonight." She said walking off to find Ephram.  
  
He was sitting on the balcony, his feet dangling over the edge. He was motionless as she approached him. Her heart was twisting and pulling in 70 different directions and yet all of them seemed wrong. She sat down next to him, hoping that being alone with him would make things easier. Even his presence, angry or not, drunk or sober, somehow made her feel at ease.  
  
"I know you and I aren't really on that good of terms right now, and I know why. I've said it a million times lately, but I'm sorry for being such an awful friend to you. I'm sorry your relationship with Madison didn't work out. But I'm not sorry for what happened just now. You may not like me, even as a friend, but I wasn't going to stand there and watch someone make a fool of you like Kayla was trying to." She spoke in a quiet, wispy manner.  
  
His voice, equally as quiet, more from the lack of enthusiasm than care, said, "I didn't need Kayla to make a fool out of me. You already have. I was a fool for thinking I could have any kind of meaningful relationship with you; as a friend, or as more. Madison and I broke up. Yes, it's true, but that doesn't mean that I'm ready for you and me again." The injuriousness of his words was unavoidable.  
  
"I just want to know we're friends. I just want to be able to hang out with you. To have you look at me without me feeling like my heart's caving in every time."  
  
"Friends? I don't know. That trust is kinda dead, Amy," he said harshly, "I tried so many times and I just don't have it in my anymore."  
  
She began to cry, "You're not even giving me a chance!"  
  
"Don't like how it feels, do you? Not being given a fair chance. Well, I'm sorry but I've given you about a lifetime of chances. I'm not saying that I hate you, I'm just saying that right here, and right now . . . I can't see us being friends. Maybe in the future, but not now."  
  
Her tears became violent, forcing themselves out of her eyes and onto her skirt. "I thought we could beat anything; overcome anything! I thought you and I were stronger than this."  
  
"We were." He said getting up and starting to walk away. *What are these words emanating from his lips? How can they come from the same mouth that I shared those sweet kisses with? Those tender, loving moments; the talks, the encouragement.* She sat and stared at the stars miserably. "How I wish I were like you, stars. You're consistent; you always know what you're supposed to do. You're supposed to shine, that's all you have to do," she said softly, hardly above a whisper. "I never know what I'm supposed to do, and when I finally think I DO know, I find out I've been wrong all along." Ephram paused, trying to take in her words unbeknownst to her. He wouldn't give her the satisfaction of knowing that he still liked hearing the songlike tone in her voice.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"You don't have to say, what you did,  
(Don't have to say, what you did)  
I already know, I found out from him  
(I already know, uh)  
Now there's just no chance, for you and me, there'll never be  
(No chance, you and me)  
And don't it make you sad about it  
  
Cry me a river  
(Go on and just)  
Cry me a river-er  
(Baby go on and just)  
Cry me a river  
(You can go on and just)  
Cry me a river-er, yea yea  
  
Cry me a river  
Baby go on and just)  
Cry me a river-er  
(Go on and just)  
Cry me a river  
(Cause I've already cried)  
Cry me a river-er, yea yea  
(Ain't gonna cry no more, yea-yea)"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
She heard a loud thud. It pounded through her from head to toe before she turned.  
  
"Oh God, Ephram!" she said walking toward him, trying to see clearly through her puffy, tear clouded eyes. He had collapsed and hit his head on the cement of the porch, right before making it back into the house. While she panicked, she wondered if he had heard what she said to the stars. There wasn't time for petty thoughts just then; she knew that it had been she alone that had hurt him so badly tonight.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````  
  
"Cry me a river  
Cry me a river, oh  
Cry me a river, oh Cry me a river, oh  
  
Cry me a river, oh  
(Cry me, cry me) Cry me a river, oh  
(Cry me, cry me)  
Cry me a river, oh  
(Cry me, cry me)  
Cry me a river, oh  
(Cry me, cry me)"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
A/N: Well, I cut out some of the "cry me"'s at the end. They just got in the way. I figured everyone got the point. Anyways, This isn't a sad story so if you'll all just bear with me it's going be happy. Just needs time and some building up to. Read and review so I can continue! 


	3. Rest in Pieces

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 3 uses "Rest in Pieces" by Saliva. No one dies, so no one panic :)  
  
Chapter 3: Rest in Pieces  
  
"Oh Ephram, don't do this," she said shaking his motionless body. "Wake up, come on," she pleaded. "Please . . . I don't want to have to get someone here to help you, so if you'll just open your eyes this doesn't have to be a big deal. If they see pills in your system, and alcohol, they're going to think . . . well, they're going to think something that's untrue." Her words were filled with sincerity and concern, each spoken as if more important and convincing than the last. She found ice and began rubbing the melting cubes back and forth across his forehead. The tiny droplets ran down the sides of his face until they were finally absorbed.  
  
Kayla had been looking for the bathroom when she came across an unconscious Ephram and a panic stricken Amy. She tried to remain silent and run out before Amy saw her, but it was too late.  
  
"Kayla, get back here! Now!" she screamed.  
  
"Amy, look. I swear those were only sugar pills I gave him. I just wanted to see if I could freak him out, they weren't really prescription . . ." she said nervously.  
  
"You better be telling the truth," she said shouting, "And even if you are, why the HELL would you do that? It's not funny. If they had been real, people could've thought he was attempting suicide," the hurt in her voice becoming evident.  
  
"I am telling the truth, look, I was just trying to have a little fun. I . . . I'm sorry," she said running away. Amy didn't have time to go chasing after her just then.  
  
She crouched down by Ephram and placed her hand on his head, then moved it down to his heart. While she may have been overdramatic in checking for his pulse, she wanted to make sure that what Kayla had said about the pills being nothing but a placebo was true. Sure enough, a steady heart beat coursed from his body, through her hand, causing blood to rush to her face in a relieved blush.  
  
He began to stir, and noticing this, she removed her hand from his heart. His eyes slowly opened and he looked through semi-blurry vision up at the woman he had just fought with. "What, what happened? Where am I? Why are you here?" he asked slowly as if each question was more confusing than the last. He briefly felt at ease when he saw her soft face.  
  
"We're still at the party. You had too much to drink . . . you took . . . pills, but they weren't anything bad," she added, "and you collapsed."  
  
"Why are you here?" he repeated, but more in an inquisitive tone than an angry one.  
  
"You and I were . . ." she started.  
  
"Fighting, yes I haven't forgotten that much. I'm still angry and still hurt from you." He said sitting up now.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````  
  
"Look at me, my depth perception must be off again  
  
Cause this hurts deeper  
Than I thought it did  
  
It has not healed with time  
  
It just shot down my  
spine -- You look so beautiful tonight  
  
Reminds me how you laid us down  
  
And  
gently smiled  
before you destroyed my life"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````  
  
"Yes, I know. Ephram I never meant for any of this to happen. I feel like such an awful friend, I . . ."  
  
"Let's not talk about this now. I think we've already rehashed the topic one too many times." He said trying to stand now but failing. He began falling to one side, and Amy rushed over to catch him and help him lean against the balcony railing. She then pulled away.  
  
"I don't think you're in any shape to go home right now, why don't we just hang out a little while?" she asked, actually thinking of him instead herself for once and realizing it.  
  
"Maybe you should just go. I'll be okay here. I'm really not in the mood right now." He said angrily.  
  
"No, I'm staying. You'll fall asleep if you're out here by yourself. That's the last thing that can happen if you have a concussion," she said seriously.  
  
"Fine, but you go to sleep. I may be a jerk but I don't keep people from sleeping," he said sitting down in a chair. She sat across from him.  
  
"You're not a jerk, Eph . . ." she started but was interrupted by him.  
  
"Go to sleep," he said in a cold tone, she looked unhappy but decided not to start anything just then. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. Ephram watched her. *She just never lets up, does she? She just CAN'T leave me alone. She knows the pain I'm in from Madison, she knows it takes time to get over someone . . . she knows that better than anyone. How is it that I can go through the day perfectly fine, in a great mood even, and then I see her and all the sudden it's like I'm back at square one? I'm done with her . . . the only thing she does is hurt me, She's nothing to me . . . not anymore . . . * He thought.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"Would you find it in your  
heart  
  
To make this go away  
  
And let me rest in pieces  
  
Would you find it  
in your heart?  
  
To make this go away  
  
And let me rest in pieces"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
*And yet,* he started thinking again *and yet, she's everything to me.* He was mesmerized by the wisps of her hair blowing different directions in the wind. Each strand fell and rose in the most unpredictable manner. *When's she's sleeping she looks angelic. She makes me think of how I used to feel for her. I'd do anything to be able to say I'm over that. I'd do anything to be over that; to be over her.* he could hear her faint breaths now as she slept. The wind was starting to pick up and he saw her readjust to get warmer in the chair. An undesired smile spread across his face. *Damn it, Amy, why do you have to be so hot when you're sleeping? It's when you're awake that you piss me off.* he thought and laughed, realizing that was a completely degrading thing to say and taking it back immediately.  
  
The next few hours Ephram fought against two things: falling asleep, and falling into Amy's trap again. When she awoke, he was only sure that he had won one of those battles, but was determined to seem angry at her. It was easier that way. If she thought he was a complete jerk she wouldn't be so nice to him; maybe she'd give up on him and give his heart a rest for once.  
  
"Ephram . . . you're not sleeping . . . are you?" she asked groggily, stretching her arms out in front of her.  
  
"No, I'm good," he said normally, and before he realized what he was about to say, it was too late, "go back to sleep." Sleep was safe, he figured. Sleep only involved him watching her, it didn't involve talking to her, it didn't involve her eyes . . .  
  
"What've you been doing this whole time?" she asked yawning.  
  
"Trying to stay awake; it's nearly 3 AM you know." He said closing his eyes.  
  
"I'm not really tired anymore. You seem better, let me look at you a second. Maybe you can go home without your dad noticing."  
  
"Amy, I'm trashed, I've got a bruise the size of a baseball on my eye, a giant bump on my head, I DOUBT he won't notice." She placed her hand on his chin in an attempt to look at his face. He folded his arms and looked down in refusal. She moved closer to him and he was weakened as the scent of her perfume danced heavenly around him. It was like sweet flowers.  
  
"I SAID, let me look," she said agitated, yet playfully. As angry as it made him to admit to himself, he sort of like the way she was being so demanding and in charge. He loosened the tenseness of his neck muscles, allowing her to life his chin. "god you're a baby," she said in an irritated tone. He wasn't a baby; he just knew if he looked at her she'd pull him in again, and he certainly couldn't have that.  
  
"Damn it, Ephram, open your eyes!" she said almost laughing at the ridiculousness of his behavior. *Men* she thought. He did, and in an instant she felt the rush all over again. His eyes were so green, and they were looking right into hers, just as they had when they kissed. He too was enchanted by her gaze. He felt himself being pulled in two directions: being sucked in by her deep brown eyes, yet at the same time, being spit out by the memories of her old inconsiderate disposition. He broke away first.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````  
  
"Look at me, my depth perception must be off again  
  
You got much  
closer than I thought you did  
  
I'm in your reach  
  
You held me in your  
hands"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````  
  
"I'm fine," he said now taking his hand to his chin to remove her hand. She dropped her hand before he touched it, realizing the awkwardness. He now noticed she also smelled like beer and was alarmed.  
  
"Have you been drinking?" He asked in an actually concerned tone. She was taken aback.  
  
"No, some guys spilled beer on me . . . they were asking me about Colin and getting a little too close to me, so I got up. That's when I saw you with . . . ." she stopped.  
  
"You know, you and I are far from okay, Amy. Those things I said before may have been worded wrongly, but I meant it when I said I've lost my trust in you. I'd be lying if I said that I could walk away tonight, leave you here, and never talk to you again. We both know that. But don't expect things to be okay for awhile." He said rubbing his forehead.  
  
"Okay . . ." she knew he was right. "Hey, not to change the subject or anything, but are you going on that trip?" she asked hesitantly.  
  
"Yeah, if I don't get grounded after tonight . . ." he said nodding. "I'm gonna go now." She didn't have time to speak before he had turned and was walking out the door. Stumbling over the sleeping people all over the floor, he managed his way out the front door. Realizing he wasn't in any condition to drive, he looked around to see if Amy was there. She had indeed followed him outside but it was so dark he didn't notice. *Well, looks like I'm walking home tonight* he thought. The gusts of winds ran through his body, cooling his temper and his rollercoaster like emotions from his talks with Amy. He thought of all that had transpired that night; the fighting, drinking, collapsing . . . Amy . . . her hands . . . eyes. . . as hard as he wanted to just tell her to let him go forever, he knew he'd never be happy with that decision. And although his attempt to be a jerk that night had temporarily worked, he still felt horrible for making her cry. "I am a baby," he said seriously. "I'm sorry, Amy . . ." he whispered to no one, as he started to walk into the street. His hands in his coat pocket to stay warm, a single tear sliding down his right cheek and beginning to freeze. He pushed it way, telling himself it was the cold weather making his eyes water. He knew otherwise.  
  
She watched him walk away; the fog making his figure disappear more quickly than she would've liked. While she would've gladly given him a ride home, part of her felt he deserved to walk in the cold for being so cruel to her. She had heard his words right before he left. She took them to mean "I'm sorry, Amy, we just can't be friends like before." For all she knew she had failed that night.  
  
She hadn't.  
  
He hadn't meant it like that at all. He had meant quite the opposite . . . had gone back on his original plan to erase her from his life, had regressed; and he couldn't stand himself for it. But for the first time in a long time, he felt happy, and once again was revisited with that familiar mystery and excitement she instilled in him. *Give it a rest, Ephram* he told himself, shivering in the cold as he walked home alone.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
  
"But could you find it in your heart?  
  
To make this go away  
  
And let  
me rest in pieces  
  
Would you find it in your heart?  
  
To make it go  
away  
  
And let me rest in pieces  
Could you find it in your heart?  
  
To make this go away  
  
And let  
me rest in pieces"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````  
  
A/N: So that's three! I'm going to try to update this as often as Whispered Kisses was, so I need reviews telling me what you think. Thanks, you guys! 


	4. We're Going to be Friends

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 2 uses "We're Going To Be Friends" by The White Stripes. It's a cute song, and although it's about little kids, it still works, I think.  
  
Chapter 2: We're Going To Be Friends  
  
It had been 2 weeks since the party, and everyone was getting excited about the class trip to the ski lodge. Almost everyone. In a few days they'd be on their way. For some, the trip was an escape from ordinary life, for others, and obligation. Amy had wanted to go ever since she heard about it. Her parents were starting to get to her and Bright, well, Bright was Bright. He never changed.  
  
Ephram, on the other hand, wasn't looking forward to going at all. It would be nice to get away from his dad's cooking for awhile, and from Madison, but the downfalls seemed to outweigh the benefits. He was about to spend an entire weekend with Amy. He couldn't AFFORD to spend an entire weekend with Amy; not if he was going to take things slowly. It was easy to avoid her in school. They only had a few classes together, and saying "hi" wasn't a big deal. He didn't think he was ready for a one on one conversation with her quite yet though. Not after the party.  
  
It didn't matter though, his dad had been so angered by his condition when he came back that he wasn't even sure if Ephram would be allowed to go.  
  
"Come on, Amy! Would you hurry up? We're gonna be late for school!" Bright shouted up the stairs.  
  
"Since when have you cared about that?" she asked, brushing her hair in the mirror.  
  
"Since Jodie started talking to me. I have to get in good with her before the trip!"  
  
"Ugh, I am not helping you take advantage of some girl," she said purposely brushing her hair more slowly.  
  
"It's not taking advantage of her. It's simply getting to know her." He said. "Which, I won't be able to do if you don't hurry up!" he said practically walking up the stairs.  
  
"Fine, I'm coming." She said grabbing her bag and running down to the car.  
  
Meanwhile, Ephram had taken one bite out of the charred piece of toast his father called 'breakfast' and was out the door. Hoping in his not so wonderful looking car, he blasted his music and drove through the snowy streets. *Today is a great day* he thought, not having a reason for feeling that way. He slowed early at each stop sign so not to slide into someone else's car, and proceeded just as slowly.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
"Fall is here, hear the yell  
back to school, ring the bell  
brand new shoes, walking blues  
climb the fence, books and pens  
I can tell that we're going to be friends"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````  
  
"I'm driving!" Amy said taking her keys out of her purse and running to her car.  
  
"Oh HEELLLLL no," he said, "Just because they got you a car for your birthday doesn't mean I don't get to drive. I'm older." He said.  
  
"What does that have to do with anything?" she said starting her engine.  
  
"Fine, but just this once!" he said getting in the car angrily. "And we're listening to MY music!"  
  
"Whatever, let's just go so you don't miss your little 'opportunity.'" She said sarcastically. He put his cd in, causing Amy to laugh hysterically in surprise.  
  
"Mandy Moore, Bright?" she asked through laughs.  
  
"What? She puts me in the mood." He said starting to sing along.  
  
"Oooookay. Too much information. Just . . . just sing in you head . . ." she said still laughing.  
  
Ephram drove along cautiously and as he came to a stop light he belted out "BOYS WILL LAUGH AT GIRLS WHEN THEY'RE NOT FUN . . . NY" he stopped singing as he heard laughter coming from the car next to him. He hadn't even noticed it was Bright and Amy. *Why now?* he thought, severely embarrassed.  
  
"Good Charlotte, eh?" Bright shouted over his own music. Amy just stared straight ahead waiting for the light to change, fighting back a smile. *Boys are such nerds. They act all macho when they get caught singing*  
  
"Yeah . . . well, it's um . . . Delia's CD. She left it in the car. I was just . . . making fun of it . . . you know." He stuttered.  
  
"I'm more of a Mandy guy myself . . .oh, hey gotta go, light's changin'" he yelled as Amy started pulling away. Ephram hadn't even noticed that the light was green. He rolled up his window so it wouldn't happen again.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
"Walk with me, Suzy Lee  
  
through the park and by the tree  
  
we will rest upon the ground  
  
and look at all the bugs we found  
  
then safely walk to school  
  
without a sound"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
The roads were icy and Ephram's car had seen better days. As he tried to pull away from the stop light, his car wouldn't budge. "DAMN IT. I REALLY DON'T NEED YOU TO CRAP OUT ON ME NOW!" he yelled at the car. He turned the engine off, and tried restarting it, but to no avail. He slammed his head down on the steering wheel, leaning on the horn. "BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPPPP"  
  
"Oh WHAT the HELL? Why do people always LEAN on the horn?" Amy asked still driving. She didn't notice where the annoying sound was coming from until she looked in her rearview mirror. "Is that Ephram?" she asked in shock.  
  
"I'M CRAVING FOR YOU. I'M MISSING YOU LIKE CANDY!!!" Bright was wrapped up in the moment.  
  
"BRIGHT? Hey!" she said waving her hand in front of his face, "Look back there, is Ephram's car stalled?"  
  
"Sure looks like it. I told him he needed a better car."  
  
"Well we can't just leave him there. We have a big English test today. If we miss it our grades are lowered by a whole letter."  
  
"That's extreme. Glad I never had your teacher," he started then panicked when he saw Amy turning the car around. "What are you doing turning around?"  
  
"We're gonna see if he needs a ride."  
  
"No we're not! Amy, I have places to be. People to see. Jodie's waiting."  
  
"You're Ephram's friend too you know. He needs us."  
  
"I'll stay here, you go see what he needs. It'll save time if you just walk instead of doubling back."  
  
"Oh, what a concerned brother you are," she said sarcastically, leaving Bright there to sing.  
  
Ephram still hadn't taken his head off the horn when he heard someone approaching. He didn't look up, but heard a familiar, soft, voice.  
  
"Eprham, is . . . is everything okay?" It was Amy. *Kill me now* he thought lifting his head.  
  
"No. Everything WAS okay until this piece of shit car died on me."  
  
"Here, put it in neutral and step out for a second. We'll push it to the curb and you can just ride with us. I wouldn't want you to miss the test."  
  
"Yeah, okay . . ." he said impressed by her thoughtfulness. Together they worked to push his car to the side of the road.  
  
"I thought having a license would save me time, not cause me more problems," he started as they had just finished pushing.  
  
"One would think," she said smiling at him.  
  
"This was really nice of you, Amy. Thanks." He said slowly, not wanting to make it obvious that he was freaking out from her being there talking to him again. He thought for sure she was angry since they hadn't spoken in a few weeks. Of course, he was the one who had that brilliant idea in the first place. He was kicking himself for it now.  
  
"Yeah, no problem, I figure if one of us has to be late, both of us should . . ." she started then panicked as she heard a car driving off in the distance, blaring music.  
  
"BRIGHT! GOD! THAT'S MY CAR!" she said as her brother had already turned the corner. She looked back at Ephram who was fighting back a smile. "Be glad you have a sister." She said seriously.  
  
"Looks like we're gonna have to walk to school. It's only another 6 minutes by car . . . so maybe like half an hour walking in this snow and ice?" he said trying to think positively.  
  
"That's not enough time, we'll still be late." She said trying to think. He knew she couldn't stand the thought of having a grade lowered.  
  
"Well we could run, I mean, I don't know how fast you run or anything, but we could make it in like 15 minutes if we hurried." He suggested trying to calm her down.  
  
"Run? In the snow? Ephram, there's no way!"  
  
"But it's EVERWOOD snow. I thought you said it was special."  
  
"Just because it looks pretty doesn't mean the idea trudging through it is special."  
  
"Come on, we better start now," he said starting to jog in place.  
  
"You're insane." She said jokingly, happy to see that he was actually being nice to her for the first time in a long time.  
  
"I may be insane, but I won't be late!" he said running quickly now. She sighed trying to catch up to him. Being with him like this made her feel happy, like she could do anything and it would be okay. She missed that, and while she didn't understand why he was being nice to her now, she wasn't going to complain.  
  
They ran as quickly as they could and only stopped every now and then to catch their breath. "I guess this is good practice for the trip, huh? Being in so much snow and all," Amy said trying to make casual conversation while gasping for air.  
  
"I'm not going," he said seriously, "Come on, we should keep running!"  
  
"Wait, Ephram, stop," she said grabbing his arm lightly. "I thought you were going, what happened?"  
  
"My dad kinda . . . saw me that night."  
  
"Well did you tell him the truth?" she said as they started running lightly again.  
  
"Not the whole truth, just the part about the drinking. I said I got the bump on my head and bruise from fighting, which . . . wasn't a complete lie . . ." he said realizing that fighting with Amy only worsened his condition that night.  
  
"I'm sorry, Ephram. It's my fault. And now you can't go."  
  
"No big deal. It's just a trip, right?" he said trying to put on a smile.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
Well here we are, no one else  
  
we walked to school all by ourselves  
  
there's dirt on our uniforms  
  
from chasing all the ants and worms  
  
we clean up and now its time to learn  
  
Numbers, letters, learn to spell  
  
nouns, and books, and show and tell  
  
at playtime we will throw the ball  
  
back to class, through the hall  
  
teacher marks our height  
  
against the wall" ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
They had reached the school just a minute before the test would begin. Amy was heartbroken that Ephram was unable to go to the ski lodge, so much so that she didn't know how she would concentrate on the test. They were supposed to strengthen their friendship during that weekend, now he wouldn't be there.  
  
As the teacher passed out the tests, Ephram sat behind Amy and watched her put her head down on her desk. He poked her back with his pencil and whispered,  
  
"Good luck on the test," he smiled.  
  
"Yeah, Ephram, you too." She said and turned back around. There was no way he was staying home from that trip, not if she could help it. Something had to be done; and something would be.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
And we don't notice any time pass  
  
we don't notice anything  
  
we sit side by side in every class  
  
teacher thinks that I sound funny  
  
but she likes the way you sing  
  
Tonight I'll dream while I'm in bed  
  
when silly thoughts go through my head  
  
about the bugs and alphabet  
  
and when I wake tomorrow I'll bet  
  
that you and I will walk together again  
  
cause I can tell that we're going to be friends"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````` 


	5. White flag

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters, I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 5 uses "White Flag" by Dido  
  
Chapter 5: White Flag  
  
The phone rang at 10 AM the next day in the Brown house. Ephram stuffed a pillow up against his head to block out the sound until it finally stopped. He readjusted in bed, but when he finally got comfortable Delia burst in.  
  
"Ephram, it's for you!" she shouted running in up to his bed.  
  
"Go away, it's Saturday. No one I know gets up this early, except for you."  
  
"It's Amy. It sounds important, you better talk to her." She said handing him the phone. Had it been anyone else he might have just gone back to sleep, but for Amy . . .  
  
"Yeah, okay," he said sitting up, rubbing his eyes and taking the phone from his little sister's hand. "Hello?" he said groggily.  
  
"Sorry to wake you, but we've got a lot to do today," she started.  
  
"We do? Like wh . . ." he started then said, "just a minute, Amy. DELIA get out of my room!"  
  
"I thought I'd wait and take the phone from you when you were done talking." She said smiling as if she knew something he didn't.  
  
"Very funny, now get out," he said playfully throwing a sock at her as she scurried out the door. He could hear Amy's muffled laugher over the phone.  
  
"Okay Amy, back to you. What is it that we are supposed to be doing now?" he asked finally waking up.  
  
"You're coming on the trip, Ephram. I know your dad said you can't, but that'll change. You have to come; I'll be bored without . . . well, I mean, you'll be missing out if you don't come."  
  
"You didn't see the look on his face. My dad likes you, but I don't think even you can convince him."  
  
"We'll see about that, look, I'm coming over right now so you better be up."  
  
"How soon is 'right now?' he asked nervously. He heard a knock at his door. "Amy, that better not be you," he said laughing, getting up to answer the door. There she stood, cell phone up to her ear with a giant smile on her face. Her eyes glanced over him from head to toe then she looked away blushing. He didn't realize he was still in just his boxer shorts. Delia squealed from the hallway.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````  
  
"I know you think that I shouldn't still love you  
  
I'll tell you that  
  
But if I didn't say it  
  
Well, I'd still have felt it  
  
Where's the sense in that?  
  
I promise I'm not trying to make your life harder  
  
Or return to where we were"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````  
  
"Nice pajamas," she said hanging up her phone. He looked down and his face turned bright red.  
  
"Well I didn't expect visitors," he said laughing. He grabbed some jeans and threw them on quickly as she only became more read in the face. He rubbed his eyes and tried flattening his hair. "You can come in, you know," he said gesturing for her to enter his room. She walked in slowly, trying directing her gaze away from the still shirtless Ephram. "So, explain how you plan to convince my dad that I need to go on this trip," he said waiting for an answer but she was still staring.  
  
"I know I'm hot Amy, but really," he said jokingly.  
  
"Actually," she said laughing, thankfully finding an excuse in time, "I was looking at the drool hanging from the corner of your lip extending alllll the way down to your shoulder." She spoke these words as she motioned her finger in the air in a downward motion. She wasn't lying. There really was drool. She knew it was because he was just waking up and not from seeing her but she thought she'd call him on it just the same.  
  
"Can't a man drool at a pretty girl?" he said obviously in jest, but trying to wipe it away in embarrassment.  
  
"Shut up, you," she said lightly pushing him and laughing. He landed on his bed.  
  
"Wow, pretty impressive there Grov, you get a lot of practice pushing guys down on beds?" It was the first day in a long time that he hadn't the slightest twinge of sadness in his voice.  
  
"You're asking for it!" she said hitting him with a pillow. He retaliated with the other pillow on his bed and before they knew it, they were engaged in a full blown pillow fight. Feathers were floating everywhere, and empty threats were being thrown between the two teens who were trying to mend their friendship. Ephram swung at her head, figuring she'd block, but he was wrong. He hit her full on and she fell on the bed right on top of him. He continued to swing at her laughing until she had dropped her weapon, and put her hands on top of her head, declaring defeat. He wrapped his arms around her without thinking and he felt her tense up. It was as if he had finally lost his constant battle to not weaken to her. Holding on to her more tightly, he heard her speak, "Ephram, I . . ." Her eyes were level with his. She forced herself to get control; she wasn't going to ruin today by doing something stupid like kissing him.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"Well I will go down with this ship  
  
And I won't put my hands up and surrender  
  
There will be no white flag above my door  
  
I'm in love and always will be"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"Delia, why are you squealing?" Andy Brown asked her, then walked in Ephram's room and saw Amy lying on top of his son in bed.  
  
"Oh," Andy gasped. A puzzled expression grew across his face and he opened his mouth to say something when he finally heard Ephram say, "okay, okay, no more pillow fights, I'm sorry, I'll stop," he said laughing and lifting Amy off him. Andy sighed in relief.  
  
"Well good morning Ms. Abbott," Andy said in a questioning tone, causing her to jump off Ephram's bed and fix her hair.  
  
"Dr. Brown, hi . . ." she said embarrassed.  
  
"I wasn't aware you guys were even talking," he continued until Ephram shot him a death glare. His father understood and added, "But I'm glad you are. We missed seeing you around, Amy."  
  
"I missed being here," she said as Ephram put a shirt on and stood up.  
  
"Well, Ephram, I just came to let you know that since you'll be home this weekend and I won't, Nina might be dropping off some food for you to eat."  
  
"What? You're not even going to be here and I still can't go on the ski trip?" he protested angrily.  
  
"Ephram you know why you can't go on that trip. It doesn't matter if I'm here or not." He said starting to leave the room.  
  
"Wait, Dr. Brown!" Amy said running out into the hall.  
  
"Amy . . ." Ephram said calling after her. He sighed. She was so determined; maybe that's what he used to love about her so much. He tried to understand what had happened before his dad came in his room. For a brief moment it had felt like it used to, before they had even kissed last year, before he fell all out in love with her and everything got screwed. And while his trust in her was still gone, it was still nice to take a step in the right direction.  
  
"Dr. Brown, please let Ephram come. It was my fault that he came home like that after the party. We had a fight and, well I'll spare you the details, but basically he collapsed and that's how he got all those bruises."  
  
"I'm sorry Amy, but Ephram can't go because he was drinking. It has nothing to do with what you did or didn't do." He said walking away. Amy felt defeated and walked back into Ephram's room. He was looking out the window.  
  
"I tried, he still said no." she said sadly.  
  
"I figured that much. It's no big deal, Amy, really. I'll have the house to myself at least."  
  
"Yeah . . . . I guess you're right," she said unhappily as she walked over help him pick up the feathers that were all over the ground. "I'll let you go back to sleep,"  
  
"You'll still have fun. Kayla's going I heard." He said trying to sound positive.  
  
"She is? Oh great, now I really need you to come."  
  
"What? She's like your best friend," he said, "even though I don't understand that at all," stopping what he was doing and staring at her.  
  
"No she's not," she said confidently, "I don't have a best friend anymore. I barely have A friend anymore. Not since I told off Kayla at the party." She said standing up getting ready to leave.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
I know I left too much mess  
  
And destruction to come back again  
  
And I caused but nothing but trouble  
  
I understand if you can't talk to me again  
  
And if you live by the rules of 'It's over'  
  
Then I'm sure that that makes sense  
  
Well I will go down with this ship  
  
And I won't put my hands up and surrender  
  
There will be no white flag above my door  
  
I'm in love and always will be"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````  
  
She wasn't asking for his pity, and pity she would not receive. She would receive real, genuine concern. Ephram-concern, the very best kind.  
  
"Come on, Amy, you know that's not true," he said standing up now too, walking toward her.  
  
"Is it, Ephram? Because I'd like to think I'm wrong, but I really don't," she said fighting back the hurt in her voice.  
  
"You are wrong," he said with certainty, letting himself soften to her for the first time since the party. The color in his eyes lightened as he felt a certain sense of responsibility for making her feel so downhearted.  
  
"If you're talking about you . . . well then I'm just confused, because you told me we weren't friends anymore. That kind of thing isn't really all that easy to forget."  
  
"I know . . ." he said following her to the door, which she had already reached. "That was stupid of me to say. I was just angry,"  
  
"And rightfully so," she said, "I'm sorry I bothered you this morning, I'll see you around, Ephram." as she quickly walked out the front door and down the sidewalk, and as hard as she tried to hide it, he knew there were tears.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"And when we meet  
  
As I'm sure we will  
  
All that was then  
  
Will be there still  
  
I'll let it pass  
  
And hold my tongue  
  
And you will think  
  
That I've moved on"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````  
  
"Amy, wait!" he said running, his bare feet leaving steamy prints in the snow. She stopped. "I'm glad you came over this morning, even if it was just to have a pillow fight with me." He said and she smiled briefly. He moved in closer to her and pulled her into a friendly hug. Her heart temporarily stopped beating. It wanted to stay in that moment forever; it knew it couldn't. She let him hold her, pressing her face up against his shoulder. She was content that they were actually being friendly, but his touch still made her heart soar. "I never want to hear you say you don't have friends again," he whispered in her ear. And as his words flowed harmoniously into her ear, the tears began to flow more freely down her cheeks. His breaths were soft and tender. "You understand?" he asked in the same quiet whisper. She nodded, being at a loss for words; being afraid she'd ruin the moment if she did speak. He held her like that for another few minutes, feeling like for once he was important again; that someone needed him. Amy always needed him; always.  
  
Somewhere in his heart he knew that they'd be okay again. And as he stood there, holding her in his arms breathlessly, he let go of every desire he once had to erase her from his life. She was a part of his life, a very part of his being. It was foolish for him to even think otherwise. It was easy to have a pillow fight with someone, it didn't require them to trust, didn't require them to feel. . .  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````  
  
"Well I will go down with this ship  
  
And I won't put my hands up and surrender  
  
There will be no white flag above my door  
  
I'm in love and always will be  
  
Well I will go down with this ship  
  
And I won't put my hands up and surrender  
  
There will be no white flag above my door  
  
I'm in love and always will be  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
It was easy to have a pillow fight with someone, it didn't require them to trust, didn't require them to feel. . .  
  
They had immediately clicked when they first met . . . even if it was for all the wrong reasons. Something told him that it'd be harder to click like that this time; this time there were feelings.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
I will go down with this ship  
  
And I won't put my hands up and surrender  
  
There will be no white flag above my door  
  
I'm in love and always will be"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````  
  
A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far. Seeing as this is an A/E story, and it's about the trip, so don't worry, something has to happen so they can be together :) 


	6. One more sad song

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 6 uses "One more sad song" by the All-American Rejects.  
  
Chapter 6: One more sad song  
  
"Remember what I told you. WHATEVER you do, under any conditions, if Wendell comes near you with his "special" cologne on, you run, got it?" Ephram said handing Amy one of her bags he had helped her carry to the buses on the day she was leaving for the trip.  
  
"Right. Wendell, cologne, run. You remember what I told YOU, about being nice to your dad?" she said taking the bag from him and setting it on the ground.  
  
"Yes, while you're gone." He said with confidence.  
  
"No, ALL the time, Ephram," she said faking an angry face. He nodded once, quickly, as if he were bowing. She laughed.  
  
The wind had picked up snow from the pavement where they were standing and was swirling around them in circles. The awkwardness that always surrounded them began to surface. After a few minutes of silence Ephram spoke. "You'll have fun, don't worry," he said putting his gloves on. He had decided to stay until the buses were gone.  
  
"I'm sure it'll be better than I think. I always make a big deal out of nothing anyway." She said fixing her scarf. The lines were moving more quickly now and it was almost her time to get on the bus. She picked up her bags and moved along in turn. "Well, I guess I should keep moving so no one runs me over," she said lightly.  
  
"Yeah . . ." he said, the sorrow deepening with each step she took away from him. "Well, I'll see you in a few days then, okay?" *This is NOT happening. I should be going with her* he silently screamed to himself.  
  
"Yeah, in a few days," she responded trying to decide if she should hug him or just leave. She didn't want to ruin anything. She moved with impulse, and before she knew it she had given him a light, friendly kiss on the cheek. The motions had been slow, as if they had suspended themselves in time. He tried to stop the rush of blood to his face but felt the heat inevitably rising. With that she grabbed her bags and was on the bus.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
"One boy, one girl, two hearts, their world  
  
Time goes by, secrets rise  
  
One more, sad song, tears shed, she's gone  
  
She'd take it back, if she only could"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
Ephram stood there, watching her find a seat through the bus windows. He slowly lifted his hand to the spot that she had kissed. It had been so long since he had had any sort of physical contact other than hugs with her; over a year in fact. And although he knew it was only his imagination, her lips seemed to have burned into his skin. He lowered his hand quickly as he saw her looking out the bus window. Clad in his snow covered black coat, he waved goodbye to her, and as the bus was pulling away he yelled to her, "AND MAKE SURE BRIGHT STAYS OUT OF TROUBLE!" She smiled and waved again.  
  
He would've waited the forever if he could've; or at least until she got back. Suddenly he realized he hadn't even thought about the possibility that something bad could happen on the trip. The bus could crash or she could break her leg; she could forget to wear her hat and get frost bite or . . .  
  
He shook his head and forced himself to remember that she was more responsible than that. Going to that party had ruined everything. Before that night, before he drank and screamed, Before ANY of that, he had kept the cruel things he said to her in his head. If he hadn't gone, if she hadn't gone, if both of them hadn't gone then maybe nothing bad would've happened between them. Yes, he had been ignoring her, been serious with her for awhile before that, but he had never explained. He could've easily just dropped that attitude and she would've chalked it up to him being sad about breaking up with Madison. Well, he couldn't go back now, so what was the use in thinking of it? He could only move forward.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"All the perfect words they seem so wrong,  
  
She's gone  
  
You wish that you could learn to see,  
  
The door is closed and you wish you could be  
  
Alone with you, alone with me  
  
What can I do, I can not breath  
  
My heart is torn, for all to see  
  
Alone with you, alone with me."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
And forward he would move; as soon as she came back. At present though, the only thing he could worry about was getting home and trying to keep his promise to Amy about being respectful to his father. That was a chore in itself. Delia and Dr. Brown were leaving that night for Ephram's Grandparents' house in New York. Originally he wasn't going because of the ski trip, but now that he wasn't able to go on that, he had to stay home. They hadn't gotten him a ticket.  
  
"Ephram? Where'd you go this morning?" Andy asked as he saw his son sitting at the piano.  
  
"I went to say goodbye to Bright," he lied, knowing his Dad would figure out that wasn't the real reason anyway. He would be respectful, like he had promised Amy, but that didn't require him to not be himself.  
  
"Bright. Right, I'm sure. Listen, I think it's nice you and Amy are talking again, I don't know what you're so embarrassed about."  
  
"I know what he's embarrassed about!" Delia said running through the room like wildfire. She started making the shape of boxer shorts around her waist.  
  
"Shut UP, Delia!" he said starting to turn red.  
  
"What's that, Delia?" Andy said laughing. Ephram stared at his sister angrily.  
  
"Nothing. Nothing at all . . . anyway, Dad, is it okay if I bring Sam a present home from New York?" she said tactlessly trying to change the subject.  
  
Andy never did figure out what his children were talking about, but it didn't matter. "Sure you can sweetheart. Now, Ephram, remember Nina might be dropping off some food for you while we're gone. If she doesn't, there's money on the kitchen table."  
  
"Alright, sounds good. What time are you guys leaving then?" he asked with sudden anxiousness.  
  
"Well you're just dying to get rid of us, aren't you? We're leaving right now actually." he said laughing. "What are you up to?"  
  
"Nothing, I just want to practice piano for a really long time." He said smiling.  
  
"Well, what a RESPONSIBLE young son I have," he said sarcastically, knowing that Ephram was lying. "Behave yourself." He said shaking Ephram's hand. Delia ran up to her brother and gave him a hug.  
  
"Don't worry, I won't tell dad about you and Amy and the boxer shorts," she whispered. He laughed and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you around, kid."  
  
It had been an hour since they were gone when Ephram already started to get anxious. He paced back and forth from one side of his room to the other. His eyes fell upon a picture of him and Amy from last school year; when he still had purple hair. She had one of those genuine smiles on her face, and so did he. They were laughing about something Bright had said when Delia had run up to them out of nowhere and taken the picture, saying that Ephram needed pictures with his friends. Ephram considered Amy his best friend for a long time. It wasn't until after their kisses, 'til after Colin woke up, that they started to grow apart. Even now that Colin was gone things hadn't changed.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"Best friend, worst thing, she's been, cheating  
  
Friend deceives, she leaves  
  
Last date. she cries, whispers, goodbye  
  
She walks once more, out that door"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````  
  
It dawned upon Ephram Brown that day that he would be the stupidest man in the world if he let Amy go on that ski trip without him. Yes, she had left; everyone who was going had, but he knew where the ski lodge was, he had a car. He had promised her that he would behave . . .  
  
Would she really be angry that he disobeyed his dad if it was to see her, to go on the school trip? He had money from his dad, yes it was for food, but that wasn't the issue, what he didn't have, was time. If Nina came with the food she'd just assume he was out.  
  
He scurried about the house, tossing clothes in a suitcase. It was Friday. If he left now, if he left just then, he could get there by 11. He wouldn't stay the whole weekend. He'd just go until Saturday night and then leave for home. His Dad and Delia weren't coming home until Sunday night so he'd have an entire day's worth of time in between. Easily done.  
  
He had to do this. Maybe he was foolish. Maybe Ephram Brown wasn't known for his spontaneity; but he had to do this. Praying his car would make it the whole way without stalling, he popped a CD in the player. Although he heard the music, the lyrics were drowned out by the intensity of his thoughts. He drove through the fog and through the snow, over the ice and past houses with smoke creeping in steady, flowing streams out their chimneys. None of that mattered, not even the speed limit. All he wanted was to get to her.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
Please stay, don't go away  
  
The hardest thing is letting go of you  
  
Stay, don't go away  
  
The hardest thing is letting go of you  
  
What can I do?  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
After a few hours of driving, he came to the ski lodge. Hungry, cold, and tired, Ephram put all his energy into locating Amy. As he walked through the groups of students he surveyed what he thought was every person but didn't see her. He immediately spotted Kayla, mixing it up with a few ski instructors. *Big surprise, wonder if she'll try to "drug" them too?* he thought. Because he was originally signed up for the trip, he knew that there were 6 people to a cabin and each had a chaperone. He started at the right side of the resort and worked his way left. He hadn't even thought about what he'd say to her; how he'd explain . . .  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````  
  
Alone with you, alone with me, what can I do  
  
I can not see, alone with, alone with...  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````  
  
"Amy," he whispered to himself, finally coming across her cabin. He watched her through the foggy, circular window. She stood by the small stove, making hot cocoa. His eyes were ablaze at the sight of her even though she looked unhappy. He broke away his gaze from her and looked left, gasping when he saw who she was with.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````  
  
A/N: Well, I think this is the first cliffhanger of this fanfic. Keep reading and reviewing so I can continue! Thanks! 


	7. Author's Note Here's your chance!

Hey guys! I'll be posting the next chapter a little later today but I've got an opportunity for you all, if you'd like, of course. As you know I'm a big fan of incorporating songs into my fics. To me it just seems they help set the mood or say things that maybe my words never could. I'm not running out of ideas for songs because I'm a huge music fan and I listen to tons of it during the day. I usually base what happens in the chapter after I decide which song to use. So, here's your chance to contribute a part to Warm my Heart. Send reviews to this or any other chapter suggesting a song you feel is perfect for Amy and Ephram and I'll pick my favorite one. The selected song will be used in an upcoming chapter. It can be a fun song, carefree, happy, love song, sad song, whatever. It doesn't matter as long as you feel it relates to them in any way, shape, or form. So send the reviews with suggestions and keep reading to see which one I choose! Thanks for your help you guys!  
~lovesopure~ 


	8. The Scientist

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 7 uses "The Scientist" by Coldplay. First of all, I'd like to say this song is pretty, secondly I'm emphasizing the positive aspects of this song and not so much the chorus, and please, I know it's the chorus, but please ignore the line that says "Oh It's such a shame for us to part." If for some reason you really like that line and simply CAN'T ignore it, then just associate that line with how they were apart for awhile. But they aren't anymore! Thanks ^_^  
  
Chapter 7: The Scientist  
  
Amy didn't notice Ephram outside the window. She never would've guessed he'd be anywhere but home just then. She took her cocoa to the table where she was seated with a young man. Dark hair, thick eyebrows, he was speaking to her as if he understood what she felt perfectly. And while she smiled, it wasn't sincere; it was cautious.  
  
"You know the other night was fun, Amy," he said taking a sip of the cocoa.  
  
"It was a lot better than that party, I'll give you that," she said now drinking hers, looking away from Tommy. She had just met him, a few days before the trip. He was handsome, yet, left her feeling uncertain. And while he had lain to rest his reputation as the town bad boy, at least in her eyes, she couldn't bring herself to fully relax around him.  
  
"So you think you'd want to go out with me maybe again sometime?" he asked smiling nervously.  
  
"I don't know, Tommy, I mean, we had a good time as friends . . ." she said turning him down.  
  
"You let me kiss you," he said starting to get frustrated.  
  
"I know. Look, I think you're really cool, and its nice talking to someone who knows what I'm going through, so please don't take it in the wrong way. I have feelings for someone else." She said now hearing a knock at the door. Tommy sighed and put his forehead down on the table in defeat.  
  
Ephram couldn't wait any longer to see her. He had become anxious when he saw Tommy smiling at her, so he had gone to the door to make his presence known. Amy slowly opened the door and saw a frozen looking Ephram Brown standing in front of her with a look of terror in his eyes.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
"Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry  
You don't know how lovely you are  
  
I had to find you  
Tell you I need you  
Tell you I set you apart  
  
Tell me your secrets  
And ask me your questions  
Oh let's go back to the start"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````  
  
"Epharm? What are you doing here? Did your dad change his mind?!" she asked smiling at him. She was glad that he had interrupted her conversation with Tommy. Ephram knew of Tommy, and while they hadn't spoken, he knew what had transpired between him and Amy only a few days ago. His eyes narrowed as they fell upon Tommy.  
  
"No, I'll tell you all about it in a little while," he said through his gritted teeth as he still stared at Tommy.  
  
"Ephram what's this all about? Why are you so angry? Have you met Tommy yet?" she asked in a confused manner. Tommy lifted his head and began walking towards him. He shook his hand.  
  
"Nice to meet you. You've got a great friend here," he said looking at Amy.  
  
"Yeah, I know," he said obviously angry that he was there. His arrival was supposed to be special. He was supposed to bust in and rescue her from her supreme boredom, tell her that he missed her, that he's been stupid . . . but no.  
  
"Well, I better get back to my cabin, I'll catch you guys later," he said waving.  
  
Ephram stood there as Tommy walked out and shut the door behind him. Amy saw the twinge in his eye and wondered what the problem was, why he was acting this way, why he was even there when he wasn't supposed to be.  
  
"Now, we're alone, tell me what happened. Tell me why you're so upset." She said walking into the cabin more so he could enter.  
  
Ephram's temper cooled, but was yet to extinguish the pangs of jealousy that were eating away at him. He knew he had no right to be upset, that Amy could be friends with whomever she wanted, and so he continued his mission. Taking off his jacket he walked towards her.  
  
"My Dad doesn't know I'm here. He and Delia left a few hours ago and I left shortly after," he started. She still seemed confused, but was immensely excited that he was there.  
  
"Are you crazy? Ephram, I told you to listen to your dad. Do you know how angry he's going to be when he finds out? You'll never be able to go anywhere again!" she said worried, but he started walking toward her.  
  
"Listen to me, Amy. I have it all worked out, I'm leaving here tomorrow night. I just had to come. You said you'd be bored here and . . ." he stopped remembering Tommy, "I guess you really didn't need me to come after all," his words slowing, brow lowering. She started to catch on.  
  
"Okay, but that still doesn't explain why you look all freaked out," she said sitting on the couch now.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me he was coming?" he asked accusingly, his jaw tense. "I wouldn't have come here, wouldn't have embarrassed you or myself."  
  
"Is that what your deal is? Are you jealous?" she asked, her heart speeding up with hope.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
"Running in circles  
Coming up tails  
Heads on a silence apart  
  
Nobody said it was easy  
It's such a shame for us to part  
Nobody said it was easy  
No one ever said it would be this hard  
  
Oh take me back to the start"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"Jealous? Me? God no! Why would I be jealous?" he said turning and walking around the room. She knew he was lying. Standing up and walking toward him, she tried to gather the strength to reach out to him, assure him that what he saw was nothing to worry about. *Maybe I shouldn't have come . . . maybe I should just let things be as they were . . . * he thought.  
  
"Now if you're quite done, I'll explain," she said starting loudly and then lowering her tone to a gentle, soft one, sweeping through the air and into his ears.  
  
He relaxed and smiled, feeling even more embarrassed than before. "I'm sorry, go ahead."  
  
"I know that you're aware that Tommy and I went out for a walk and things at that party. He listens to me, he knows how it feels to be depressed and have no one understand you," Ephram began to look angry again. *I always listen, I always understand . . .* "But," she continued looking into his temporarily stone eyes, "he and I are just friends. He kissed me, but we're just friends," he felt a rush of relief sweep through him, but then asked a very defining question.  
  
"Like you and I, Amy?" his voice shaking with remorse. She immediately knew what he meant. He hadn't just been asking her if they were friends. Those words, those shaky, soft words were referring to the kisses THEY had shared. They had seemed so wonderful and yet, they had only remained friends afterward.  
  
This question sent Amy spiraling into worry. If she were to answer "yes," then she'd be lying. It would be the largest lie she could ever tell him because she didn't only see Ephram as her friend. There was no way her friendship with Tommy even came close to that of the one she and Ephram shared; or used to share. If she answered by saying "no," then she'd worry he'd take it the wrong way. Would he think she meant that she and him weren't friends? That's not what she'd mean at all. She hesitated, trying to piece together the right way to say what she felt.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"I was just guessing  
At numbers and figures  
Pulling your puzzles apart  
  
Questions of science  
Science and progress  
Do not speak as loud as my heart"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"No, Ephram, not like us. You and I have been friends for awhile. We share more history than I ever have with anyone. I just met him, we hung out for a little while." She said moving closer to him and putting her hand on his shoulder to assure him.  
  
"That's not what I meant," he said lifting his head so he could see her expression, unaware if what he had just responded with had angered her.  
  
"I know what you meant," she said, blushing slightly, "the answer's the same." Was this the time for him to say what he drove all the way there to say? Was there ever a perfect time for anything? Inhaling slightly he mustered up the courage.  
  
"I came today," he began and took the cup of cocoa from her hand, setting it down on the table, "because I couldn't stand the thought of not being here with you," his eyes were piercing through hers. She listened intently, silently. "I can't stand where we're at right now. You and I talking casually, laughing casually . . . that's all fine and good, but . . . it's so CASUAL. Amy, you and I used to be best friends. Maybe I ruined that, maybe you ruined that, maybe we both did, I'm not sure," he spoke quickly and without thinking. He took her her hand in his. "But I want to mend it. I want to trust you again, and pushing you away and ignoring you isn't helping me do that. So I came." She was losing control, slowly.  
  
"I want that too," was all she could eek out. She knew how lame of a response it was, but also knew that nothing she could say would match what he just had. He still had her hand in his. "Thank you for coming," she said still staring at him. His scent had only just started to dance around her.  
  
"How do we do that?" he asked softly, moving his hands to her shoulders. "Mend it, I mean," Everything was in slow motion that night.  
  
"I don't know," she whispered, knowing for the first time that he wasn't just there because he thought she'd be bored; feeling that he didn't want to JUST be her friend. She hugged him, laying her head against his chest. "Like this?"  
  
"Okay . . ." wrapping his arms around her back, pulling her closer. After a few minutes he lifted her chin and moved his head closer. Placing his forehead against hers, he felt the energy; knew it'd be okay if he could just convince himself to kiss her. He moved his lips to her right cheek and kissed it briefly, then moved them to her left one and kissed that for just a few seconds longer. Closing his eyes, he tasted the salty sweetness from her ever present tears. They stayed like that for a few moments, neither knowing if it was okay to move.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"Tell me you love me  
Come back and haunt me  
Oh and I rush to the start  
  
Running in circles  
Chasing our tails  
Coming back as we are"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
"You want to know how you and are aren't like Tommy?" she asked him barely above a whisper, panting with breathlessness. Her lips were only inches away from his now.  
  
"Show me . . ." he responded and moved in to kiss her. Just as his lips were about to press up against hers the door burst open.  
  
"AMY! YOU'RE MISSING THE . . . oh, Ephram. Geez, I'm sorry you guys, I didn't . . ." Wendell said embarrassed and shocked. "You guys are missing, are missing the . . ." he tried to think something up. Originally he had come over to talk to Amy, get in her good graces. He had not-so- secretly set his sights on her a few weeks ago and thought this trip was the perfect time to show her how he felt. "The party up at that cabin on the hill. The abandoned one!" he said now realizing if he couldn't get any action, Ephram should be able to.  
  
"What abandoned cabin, Wendell?" she asked, rolling her eyes. Ephram had pulled away from Amy when Wendell entered and was now leaning on the arm of the couch.  
  
"You just take the main path as far as you can go and turn right . . . or was it left? Well anyway, you turn right or left after the main path comes to an end. You should see the cabin about a mile after that. I know it's a walk but I heard it's a crazy party. You guys have to go," he said confidently.  
  
"Are you going?" Ephram asked noticing that Wendell was staring at Amy now.  
  
"Yeah, I'll be there a little later. I have to find me a lady first, which, won't take long," he said fixing his collar. Amy tried not to laugh but was happy his "lady" wouldn't be her.  
  
"Alright, well good luck with that then man," Ephram said patting him on the back, walking him to the door. He needed to be alone with Amy again, and Wendell had started making himself comfortable.  
  
"Yeah, see you guys!" then winked at Ephram. He shut the door and turned back to Amy who was laughing hysterically now.  
  
"Did you smell it?" Ephram asked her.  
  
"The "special" cologne?" she asked between laughs, making quotation hand gestures.  
  
"That was it. I told you it was bad news. He had some major plans for the two of you tonight, it seems," he said walking back to her, unsure of what to do. *Is it okay for me to put my arm around her now or would that just be weird? Was that only a one time thing or what's going on with her now?*  
  
"Well I'm glad you came then," she said patting him on the head lightly.  
  
"What am I, your dog?" he asked in jest.  
  
"Awww puppy wuppy Ephy-weffy," she said in baby talk. He frowned, but didn't mind. He thought it was cute.  
  
"I'll take that as a yes. Well that's a bit unsettling," he said laughing. Thankfully they were able to establish light conversation and wouldn't have to address what had almost just happened before Wendell's grand entrance.  
  
"So what do you say? You want to go to that party? It could be fun," she said touching his nose with the tip of her index finger.  
  
"You and I don't exactly have that great of a history with parties. Are you sure?"  
  
"We won't drink. That way we won't scream things we don't mean at each other. We'll just socialize." She said with calmness.  
  
"I'm glad you know I didn't mean those things," he said. She ran her hand down his right arm and then grabbed his hand.  
  
"Come on! Grab your bag, we're heading out! This is going to be so fun! I'm so glad you're here!" she said pulling him out the door. Before they knew it they were hand in hand trudging through the snowy trail. They hadn't talked about their "almost" kiss, they both separately chalked it up as a one time thing. As they walked, they talked to keep warm. The fog of their breath mingled with their laughter, in ways making a connection between their two hearts that they never knew could exist. Upon reaching the end of the "main path", as Wendell had called it, they were forced to make a quick decision as to which way to go.  
  
"You better the HELL have picked the right way, EPHRAM BROWN!" she yelled through her scarf that was now pulled over her mouth and nose.  
  
He laughed nervously. "Oh, I have," he said with seeming confidence.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"Nobody said it was easy  
Oh it's such a shame for us to part  
Nobody said it was easy  
No one ever said it would be so hard  
  
I'm going back to the start"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
A/N: Another cliffhanger! They're going start becoming more and more common so I hope you're all ready! Thanks for the reviews. 


	9. Ordinary Boy

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 8 uses "Ordinary Day" by Vanessa Carlton  
  
Chapter 8: Ordinary Day  
  
"I don't mean to doubt your skills or anything here, but where the HELL are we?!" Amy screamed at a now cringing Ephram. They had been walking on a very tedious, pathless journey for nearly 2 hours. Wendell had said a mile but this was ridiculous . . .  
  
"I'm sure we're very close now," he said backing away from her nervously. Neither of them minded the walking; it was the layers and layers of snow that was forming a seemingly death blanket below them that bothered them. The wind had picked up, but they didn't feel it. Weaving between the forest's trees, they tried their best to avoid the patches of ice and large snow banks.  
  
"Ephram stop," Amy said standing still for the first time since they had set out. He turned around and looked at her, amazed that she was willing to stand in one spot for so long; she had been so adamant about them not wasting time. "This looks awfully familiar, are you sure we aren't going in a circle?"  
  
"Amy, it's the forest. There are trees, there's snow, its GOING TO LOOK THE SAME!" he said bluntly, being too cold to formulate a nice way to put it. He figured he was far enough away to say that without being punched or slapped. He turned and started back at the trees ahead of him, trying to see if she was right about going in circles. "You know, I think you're ri . . .Amy? Hey! Amy where'd you go?!" he shouted nervously. *Great, I lost her, that's all I need* he thought sarcastically. "Hey, this isn't funny, you're really freaking me out. It's dark and it's cold and I can't see you," he continued.  
  
THUMP. Ephram was whacked over the head with a giant ball of snow. He stood there motionless, realizing what had just happened, then started wiping the snow from his eyes so he could see. He heard a distant giggle.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"Just a day,  
  
Just an ordinary day.  
  
Just tryin' to get by.  
  
Just a boy,  
  
Just an ordinary boy.  
  
But he was looking to the sky.  
  
And as he asked if i would come along  
  
I started to realize-  
  
That everyday you find  
  
Just what he's looking for,  
  
Like a shooting star he shines.  
  
He said take my hand,  
  
Live while you can  
  
Don't you see your dreams right in the palm of your hand?"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"Alright, where are you?" He asked now picking up snow and hiding it behind his back. She, being unable to suppress her giggles, gave away her location right away. She was behind a tree about 10 feet away. He ran toward her, throwing two snow balls.  
  
"Now I see how much you care about me," she joked, "I was standing barely 2 trees away and you were giving up hope," she said brushing the snow off her.  
  
"I was worried," he said sweetly. She moved into hug him then playfully pushed him over in the snow. He toppled down and landed in a giant pile of it. "Again with the pushing?" he asked spitting snow out of his mouth. He stood up and started chasing after her. They made more progress in a straight path in those few minutes than they had the whole time they had been searching. "Come here you!" he yelled pulling her gently by the elbow in fun. He picked the wrong time to do it; there was a patch of ice right below her and she slipped, nearly falling on her face. He turned quickly and caught her.  
  
"You okay?" she heard him ask. Her face was frozen and the only thing warming it was his hot breath.  
  
"Yeah . . ." she said still a bit shaky from the fall. It wasn't until she broke away from his eyes that she saw it; the abandoned cabin. "Ephram, look!" she said standing up carefully. Their eyes fell on an old, brown, log building. They walked silently and anxiously to the shabby building. "You think this is it?" she said scrunching up her face.  
  
"Well it looks pretty abandoned, but I don't hear any music. I thought there was a party here!" he said shocked. He walked up the stairs carefully then stopped. "Are you coming?" he asked outstretching his hand.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"And as he spoke, he spoke ordinary words  
  
Although they did not feel  
  
For I felt what I had not felt before  
  
You'd swear those words could heal.  
  
And as I looked up into those eyes  
  
His vision borrows mine.  
  
And to know he's no stranger,  
  
For I feel I've held him for all of time.  
  
And he said take my hand,  
  
Live while you can  
  
Don't you see your dreams right in the palm of your hand  
  
in the palm of your hand."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
"Would you BECAREFUL please?!" she said nervously, but instinctively took steps toward his hand. "We don't know how sturdy it is, you could fall through or something." By now she had reached his hand.  
  
"We'll just open the door and look in. If we don't see a party we'll turn around and assume we should've turned left instead of right," he said with interest in his voice as he dusted snow off the knob of the door. She sighed.  
  
"This could be private property we're on. You're not even supposed to be here, we don't need to be arrested or worse, shot . . ." she said but it was too late. It was as if he hadn't even heard her warning. His hand had already turned the knob and they had entered. She bit her lower lip. As much as she disapproved, she was instantly drawn to the old furniture and pictures on the walls.  
  
"This looks more condemned than it does abandoned," he said dusting off a picture frame.  
  
"Well, no party here, guess we can turn around and go back to the lodge. It's probably better we don't party anyway . . ." she said quickly in a chipper tone. She was relieved in a way. He let go of her hand and walked into one of the other smaller rooms.  
  
"Wow, come check this out! This is amazing!" he said in an excited voice. She knew it must've been something pretty cool because his voice only sounded that happy when talking about a few things.  
  
When she approached the room she saw Ephram seated at a large, old, black piano. His eyes widened with amazement. She couldn't help but smile. "It's pretty out of tune, but look at the way it was made. These lines, the keys . . ." he continued lightly running his fingers over it as if it were made of precious gold.  
  
"Why don't you play something?" she asked, sitting next to him on the bench. It was cute how excited he was. He set his fingers on the keys and began playing a very out of tune version of the song he had written for her. Upon finishing the song he continued by playing a few more songs. Songs turned into minutes, minutes into hours.  
  
She listened intently, and when he was done playing he asked, "Do you want to turn around and go back now? You've been so patient this whole time. I could tell you were uncomfortable."  
  
"No. It was sweet; like a little kind in a candy store," she said smiling  
  
"Or a puppy waiting for its food?" he asked referring back to her previous mockery of him as a dog. She laughed and looked down. They got up and walked toward the door to leave. They were pretty sure if they just walked in a straight path they'd make it back okay. They had small talk and Amy moved to turn the knob.  
  
"Ephram, it won't move! It's stuck!" she yelled.  
  
"Let me see it, here move aside,"  
  
"What? I'm not strong enough? I'm TELLING you it's stuck!" she said panicking. Indeed it was.  
  
"Well, we'll just go out one of the windows, no big deal," he said moving to look out the window. His jaw dropped. "Or . . . not" Snow was falling at an insane rate, and had already built up around the door and windows. "I don't think we'll even be able to force our way out. Even if we do we won't make it back to the lodge, we'll freeze or get lost worse than we originally were or . . ."  
  
"Well what're we going to do? We can't STAY here all night! You have to leave tomorrow or you'll get in trouble and God knows the chaperone in my cabin will freak when I'm not in the room by curfew . . ."  
  
"They don't know I'm here though. The only people that saw us together were Wendell and Tommy,"  
  
"Still . . . it's not safe here,"  
  
"We'll have to settle for it, Amy. It's safer than trying to go back. Maybe it'll clear in a few hours," he said rubbing the fog away from the window, then turning and softening his eyes to her.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"Please come with me,  
  
See what I see.  
  
Touch the stars for time will not flee.  
  
Time will not flee.  
  
Can't you see  
  
Just a dream, just an ordinary dream.  
  
As I wake in bed  
  
And the boy, that ordinary boy.  
  
Or was it all in my head?  
  
Did he ask if I would come along  
  
It all seemed so real.  
  
But as I looked to the door,  
  
I saw that boy standing there with a deal."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
They looked uneasily around at the place they were forced to temporarily call home. It didn't have much to show where comfort was concerned. Afraid of the small creatures that could be living inside, Ephram lifted boards carefully and placed them aside.  
  
"Thank God you brought your bag with," she said and he started looking through it as they sat on the dirty floor. He had packed a shirt, a few candles to "set the mood" when he told her his feelings, a lighter, and a box of crackers. He opened it excitedly.  
  
"Animal cracker?" he asked, his voice muffled from having 3 in his mouth already. He held the box out to her and she just gave him a weird look.  
  
"Are you being serious right now?" she asked him with the same strange look on her face and a small hint of playful ridiculing laugher. "You're eating animal crackers and you just passed up all those other things in your bag we could use?" He slowly stopped chewing, realizing she was right. He swallowed hard. She laughed, pulled the box away from him, and started eating them too.  
  
"That's what I thought," he said now trying to light the candles. He crouched down to light each one, there being five; and as he looked up past the wick he saw her eyes glimmering at him. She too was captivated by his gaze. The light that reflected off his eyes from the flame was stronger than the burning itself. They sat next to one another and he draped the shirt he had brought over her. "It's not very long, but it'll have to do I guess," he said leaning in to cover her with it more.  
  
"It's perfect," she said. They stayed in the moment for what seemed like forever; it was really only a few minutes. "I'm glad I'm here with you. It could've and would've been Wendell. Poor unsuspecting me would've went with him just to be nice,"  
  
"Yeah, or Tommy . . ." he said his eyes narrowing again as they had before.  
  
"Oh would you just stop with that already," she said brushing her hand on his cheek. His face felt warm.  
  
"About what happened before . . . before Wendell came in . . . did you want it to happen?" he asked nervously and on a more serious note.  
  
"You mean how we almost kissed?" she asked obviously, making him laugh slightly; not out of mockery but out of blatancy.  
  
"Yeah," he said looking up at her now.  
  
"I wanted it to happen, yes. But I'm glad it didn't," she said in a monotone voice, masking her emotions so he couldn't see through her.  
  
"Oh . . ." he responded, obviously hurt.  
  
"No, it's not what you think. I just . . . think we should talk through it before . . . you know? If we're going to kiss it should be for the right reasons, both of us being completely honest with the other, not just doing it because we're attracted to each other. We've . . . we've done that." She explained, stuttering slightly out of worry.  
  
"Yes . . . but when I kissed you before, I did it because I loved you for you for you. Yes, you're pretty, God, are you pretty, but I loved you as a person inside too."  
  
"Well . . ." she said inching closer to him.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
"And he said he my take my hand,  
  
Live while you can,  
  
Don't you see your dreams right in the palm of your hand  
  
right in the palm of your hand,  
  
right in the palm of your hand."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
The time was now 2 AM, and the chaperone in Amy's cabin began to panic; she had blown the set curfew by two hours.  
  
"Who does she think she is?" the older woman asked angrily.  
  
"She thinks she's Amy Abbott, town princess," Kayla said snottily. "I bet I know where she is," she added with a smirk on her face. "I saw her with Ephram Brown . . ."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
"Just a day, just an ordinary day  
  
Just tryin' to get by.  
  
Just a boy,  
  
Just an ordinary boy.  
  
But he was looking to the sky"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
These two friends, these two star-crossed lovers, were about to begin a conversation that should've taken place so long ago. Each with their own individual worries and concerns, each with their own hopes and dreams of what would come; neither knowing what would come of that night; neither knowing what was happening back at the lodge.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
A/N: okay, keep those reviews and song suggestions coming. I appreciate it so very much. 


	10. I won't be there

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 9 uses "I won't be there" by Simple Plan.  
  
Chapter 9: I won't be there  
  
"Delia, honey, get your things out of the trunk," Andy said as they stepped out of the car. He had received an emergency call from one of his patient and had to leave New York quite a bit early than planned. They arrived back in Everwood around early-Saturday morning.  
  
"I'm waking Ephram if he's sleeping!" Delia said running through the house. She stopped dead when she reached Ephram's room. His bed was made, the rest of the room looked untouched; Delia knew something wasn't right. "Ephram?" she asked softly, "EPHRAM?!"  
  
"What's wrong?" Dr. Brown asked as he walked into his son's room. "Well Ephram's car wasn't in the drive way. He must be over at Madison's or something."  
  
"Dad, get real. Ephram and Madison broke up weeks ago!" she said shocked that her dad hadn't heard.  
  
"What?!" he asked excitedly, "I mean, oh . . . how sad," he said fighting back a smile. Delia knew he was more than relieved that his son had given up on their 20 year old babysitter.  
  
"He's SO over her," Delia continued, happy to see the smile on her father's face.  
  
"He'll be home soon I'm sure," he said now guiding his daughter out of the room gently. "He better be," he added seriously as he looked back into Ephram's unscathed room.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"I don't want to make this  
  
Harder than I have to  
  
This is how it has to be  
  
There's so many things  
  
I want to say  
  
But you just don't listen to me  
  
I don't want to hurt you  
  
You don't want to hurt me  
  
I can't stand you  
  
And you can't stand me  
  
We can't rearrange you can  
  
Never change me  
  
Say goodbye  
  
Nothing I say can change  
  
Your mind because"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````  
  
Kayla smiled widely as it seemed she had a master plan. "Yes, that's right, Ephram Brown was here. I saw the two of them. Together."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Wendell asked defending his friends. "Ephram's not here. He's back in Everwood."  
  
"Don't listen to him, he doesn't even wear deodorant!" she said backing away from him.  
  
"What? That's not true! And neither is the thing about Amy and Ephram," he said defensively.  
  
"Then why did Tommy come up to me with a sad look on his face and tell me that plans had changed," Kayla said biting back.  
  
"What 'plans?' Mrs. Forrester, the chaperone asked.  
  
"Oh nothing," Kayla said as if it was no big deal.  
  
"Well at any rate, none of that matters. Amy's broken curfew and I'm responsible for her. She's already go so many problems, she doesn't need any more . . ." Mrs. Forrester said.  
  
"Excuse me, but I don't think that's very nice of you to say," Wendell said angrily.  
  
"Go get this 'Tommy' person. Maybe he knows where they are." Mrs. Forrester demanded.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
"I can't stay  
  
Tomorrow I'll be on my way  
  
So don't expect to find me  
  
Sleeping in my bed  
  
'Cuz when you wake up  
  
I wont be there  
  
(I wont be there)  
  
Everything I say you find  
  
A way to make it  
  
Sound like I was born  
  
Just yesterday  
  
And everything you taught me  
  
Doesn't mean a thing  
  
So I'm going my way"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````  
  
Bright's plans with Jodie hadn't gone as planned either. He sat in his cabin now moping, wishing someone would ask him to hang out. *That's what I get for picking a girl over my friends* he thought. He wasn't alone; not at all. Across from him sat none other than the boy he loathed more than he had ever loathed Ephram. Tommy.  
  
"Well aren't you Mr. Sociable tonight?" Tommy said sarcastically.  
  
"Listen, I don't need your wry comments, I'm fine on my own. God, the only reason I'm glad to see you is at least I know you're not off somewhere with my sister,"  
  
"Oh, I don't think you have to worry about that. Not tonight at least. She's off somewhere with that Brown kid," he said casually, not realizing it was a big deal.  
  
"What? Ephram's here?!" he said now glad.  
  
"I thought you didn't get along with him?"  
  
"We do now, he's one of my best friends. Besides he's twice the man you'll ever be to Amy."  
  
"Yeah, whatever," he said rolling his eyes.  
  
"Well, where are they?" he said putting his jacket on.  
  
"I don't know, some party or something I heard," he said harshly, "not that I care or anything, but aren't you going to be breaking curfew if you go looking for them?"  
  
"Since when have you been one to care about the rules?" he asked waking out of the cabin. Just then Kayla burst into their cabin. Tommy jumped up.  
  
"Where the hell's Amy?" she said out of breath.  
  
"How should I know?" he said annoyed.  
  
"You're the one who told me she was with Ephram! You looked like the wind was knocked out of you. It was so pitiful," she said laughing.  
  
"Your mocking me isn't going to make me want to help you, you realize this, right?"  
  
"Just whatever; come talk to Mrs. Forrester about what you know. Amy's missing."  
  
Bright had eavesdropped on the whole conversation, and realizing this meant big trouble for Amy, he picked up his cell phone to call and warn her.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
  
"I don't want to hurt you  
  
You don't want to hurt me  
  
I can't stand you  
  
And you can't stand me  
  
We can't rearrange you can  
  
Never change me  
  
Say goodbye  
  
Nothing I say can change  
  
Your mind because  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````  
  
"Wendell, right now! If you know ANYTHING about Amy and Ephram you better tell me! Withholding information is against the rules!" Mrs. Forrester screamed.  
  
"What are you, the police?" he asked but was interrupted as Kayla bust in dragging Tommy by the hand behind her.  
  
"They went to some party," Tommy said hoping if he just flat out said what he knew he could go back to his cabin.  
  
Wendell felt the guilt settling in. While he wanted to stay loyal to his friends, he also knew that HE was the reason they were gone in the first place. *If it's for their safety . . .* he thought nervously. He finally spoke up,  
  
"There is no party."  
  
"What?" all of them at once said and spun to look at him quickly.  
  
"Oh this is rich," Kayla said feeling accomplished that she'd have something over Amy's head now. *Dr. Abbott would like to know information like this* She would've patted herself on the back if she could've.  
  
"There is no party," Wendell repeated. "I lied. I made it up. I told them to go down the main path and turn left or right. There's a cabin out there . . . I just figured . . . It was stupid, I know. . ." he voice was shaking from feeling he had failed his friends.  
  
"Phone Dr. and Mrs. Abbott right now, then Dr. Brown. They'll want to know. We can't get to the kids right now because of the snow in the woods, so it's going to be a little while," Mrs. Forrester told the head chaperone over the phone. She set the phone back on the receiver.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"I can't stay  
  
Tomorrow I'll be on my way  
  
So don't expect to find me  
  
Sleeping in my bed  
  
Cuz when you wake up  
  
I wont be there"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"Dad, it's two o' clock in the morning. Ephram SHOULD be home by now!" Delia said, voice full of panic.  
  
"Delia, it's two o' clock in the morning, you should be sleeping by now! Looks like I have two kids that are breaking curfew," he said lightly. She looked as if she was going to cry so he lightened up. "I'm sorry I'm sorry. I'm just concerned about your brother. I think I'll call the Abbotts, as much as I'm not looking forward to hearing Harold's crabby voice when I wake him up,"  
  
"Why would you call there? Amy and Bright are on the ski trip," she said staring at her dad.  
  
Dr. Brown wanted to believe with his whole heart that his son was responsible, that he knew better. And just as each time he told himself over and over again that Ephram wasn't stupid enough to do something like disobey him; each time he wasn't convinced. He knew how much Ephram loved Amy, how much he's always loved her; knew that his son would do anything in his power if it meant she'd be happy. The ring of the phone broke into his thoughts. His heart stopped.  
  
"Delia," he said hesitantly, "Get the phone,"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"This is the last night that  
  
I spend at home  
  
And it won't take too long for  
  
You to notice  
  
Won't take long for you to  
  
Find out that I'm gone"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
"Delia? Put your dad on the phone," the voice spoke. Delia obeyed and handed her dad the phone with a worried look on her face.  
  
"It's okay," he whispered to her, then spoke into the phone, "This is Dr. Brown."  
  
"Andy, I'm so glad I got a hold of you. I thought you'd still be gone on your trip but I figured it was worth a try," Dr. Abbott said, his voice shaking. "It's Amy and Ephram. They're lost somewhere out in the woods by that ski lodge. They're snowed in."  
  
"What?! Ephram wasn't even supposed to GO!" he said angrily.  
  
"Would you stop yelling and listen to me? Our children are lost, as in no one's seen them in 3 hours and they were supposed to be back!"  
  
"I'll be over in a few minutes, we'll head out together." He said hanging up the phone. "Delia, get your things again, you're going to stay with Mrs. Abbott for a little while."  
  
"Is it Eprham?" she asked crying. He pulled his daughter into a hug.  
  
"Yes, but everything's going to be fine, I promise," he assured her. If only he could believe himself as much as Delia believed him.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````  
  
"I can't stay  
  
Tomorrow I'll be on my way  
  
So don't expect to find me  
  
Sleeping in my bed  
  
'Cuz when u wake up  
  
I wont be there  
  
(Repeat)"  
  
I wont be there  
  
I wont be there  
  
I wont be there"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
  
"Damn it, Amy! Why aren't you picking up?!" Bright screamed into the phone. "Listen, wherever you and Ephram are right now, you better hurry up and get back to the lodge! They're looking for you like crazy and they called Dad!" He said, leaving an urgent voice mail. He hung up and looked again back through the cabin window that he had been eavesdropping out of. "Please be okay" he whispered. 


	11. I'm lost without you

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 10 uses "I'm Lost Without You" by Blink 182  
  
Chapter 10: I'm lost without you  
  
"These candles aren't doing much, are they?" Ephram said as he extinguished one with his finger and tried relighting it. The two friends were still sitting only inches apart, as Amy had slid over earlier. "Amy, is that your phone ringing?" he asked causually at first.  
  
"Probably. Oh, it's just Bright, it's not important. He probably can't find his soda or something."  
  
"YOU HAD A PHONE THIS WHOLE TIME?!" he asked laughing.  
  
She completely ignored what he had just said, smiling. "You'd think all the snow outside would make it at least semi-light in here," she responded sighing, "So much for Wendell's party."  
  
"I don't think there really WAS a party," he said squinting to see her facial expression.  
  
"That's ridiculous, of course there was," she said nervously. "He may have been trying to get my attention a little, but he'd never deliberately send us somewhere where we could get hurt."  
  
"I'm pretty sure he knew there was going to be a snowstorm. In fact, it was kind of genius of him . . . in a way . . ." he trailed off as he saw the appalled look on her face. After a few seconds of silence, half laughing he shakily asked, "Amy . . .why aren't you saying anything?" He felt a small slap on his arm.  
  
"Genius? Ephram we're stranded . . . snowed in even, in a cabin! It's two in the morning, we've broken curfew, you came against your father's will, and its cold!!" He smiled and pulled her a little closer to him.  
  
"If it's not genius it's at least appreciated." He said taking in the mixture of candle smoke and her perfume. He rested his head on her shoulder. She started to get nervous, not knowing how much more she could take before she gave into him. It was as if the nervous energy was flowing from her into his head as it rested on her shoulder; making him get up and start pacing around.  
  
"Is something wrong?" she asked worried that he was upset with her.  
  
"No . . . I just . . . oh look! An old blanket!" he said shaking it to rid it of dust and laying it out on the floor where they had been sitting only minutes ago. "You can sit on it, I'll sit over here." He said timidly.  
  
"We can both sit on it," she said pulling his hand so he'd fall to the blanket. He straightened himself and sat next to her. "Ephram, what IS the matter?" she said her eyes now clearly visible to him for the first time that night.  
  
"You make me kind of nervous," he finally admitted.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"I swear that I can go on forever again  
  
please let me know that my one bad day will end  
  
I will go down as your lover, your friend  
  
give me your lips and with one kiss we begin"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
She understood what he had meant but asked him anyway, just to see what he'd say. "I do? I . . . I don't mean to . . ." she said puling away from him now, letting go of his hand, blinking quickly.  
  
He grabbed onto it instantly, "No, stay." He said running his thumb over her hand which was no sitting in his. "I didn't say I didn't like it," he assured her.  
  
"If anyone should be nervous it should be me," she started then stopped trying to gather exactly what she'd say.  
  
"Stop worrying about your curfew; it's no big deal, Amy. They'll get over it."  
  
"That's not what I'm talking about." She said turning quickly and looking at him. "I'm not exactly sure why you came up here tonight. I think I have a pretty good idea from what you explained . . . and well . . ."  
  
"You know, what you've done in the past has really hurt me," he said calmly.  
  
"I know . . . and I'll never forgive myself for that. I don't deserve to be sitting here with you right now like this, my hand in yours. It's like I told you before, you're a better person than I am."  
  
"That isn't even slightly true. If it were then I wouldn't have spent all those months trying to push you out of my life and failing. It would've been so much easier if I could've just forgotten you,"  
  
"Maybe you should've . . ."  
  
"No," he said the second after she finished speaking. "I need you. . . I miss you." He said now kissing her forehead. He waited what seemed like an eternity for her to respond.  
  
"I'm sorry I acted the way I did. I know why I did it but that doesn't mean it was right. I did it because I was angry with myself. You shouldn't have had to suffer just because of that, and I'm sorry. I loved you," she said softly.  
  
"I know you . . ."  
  
"No. I mean I loved you after Colin woke up. I know that it didn't seem that way. I guess I did a good job of hiding it. I was angry with myself for loving you because it meant that I didn't love Colin anymore; not romantically anyway. And the thought of me abandoning him while he was incapable of doing anything to change how I felt . . .while he was in that coma . . . I couldn't. And so I forced myself away from you. At least I tried to. . . it was easier." She said now eating another animal cracker. He chuckled at how the moment could turn from a serious note to a lighthearted one with just one snack. That's what he loved about her.  
  
She continued, after finishing chewing. "But seriously. Just because it was easier doesn't mean it made me feel like I was doing what was right. It killed me. The screaming, the ignoring, the fighting, that hurt so much . . . but the smiling and the small talk, even the pillow fight . . . that hurt a million times worse. It wasn't real, wasn't how we used to be at all . . . I wanted that back."  
  
"We can have it back," he said staring at her. "I want to have it back." Again, the silence that had become so frequent was showing itself again.  
  
"I can't believe you're just willing to pretend it didn't happen, that's not right, Ephram." She said sadly.  
  
"No it's not . . ." he said moving closer to her running the back of his hand softly against her cheek, fading into a smile. "But it'd be more wrong if I pretended that I don't love you,"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"Are you afraid of being alone  
  
cause I am, I'm lost without you  
  
are you afraid of leaving tonight  
  
cause I am, I'm lost without you  
  
I'll leave my room open till sunrise for you  
  
I'll keep my eyes patiently focused on you  
  
where are you now I can hear footsteps, I'm dreaming  
  
and if you will, keep me from waking to believe this"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
Gaping at him, she wasn't sure whether she had heard him correctly. She didn't respond at first but it didn't bother him. And for the first time in over a year, Ephram Brown's lips met Amy's. Savoring every moment, he wished the snow would never stop falling, that they'd be stuck there together forever.  
  
"That's the first time a guy has told me he loves me and I fully believed it. I know Colin said it. . .but it was STILL after he woke up from the coma. That, and he was just about to have surgery again. When you said it just now, I was completely at a loss for words. That's why I can't just be your friend Ephram. I thought I wanted to, but. . . you make it so hard. Every time I see you . . ." she said with her eyes closed.  
  
"You don't have to just be my friend," he said kissing her again. The candles were starting to die down now from the swift gusts of wind that snuck in through the cracks of the cabin walls. The flames flickered in and out violently.  
  
"This is real this time, I promise." She said slowly. She leaned her head on his chest as the sat on the blanket in the dimly lit room.  
  
"Want me to check outside and see if it's stopped snowing?" he asked after about half an hour of quiet.  
  
"No. I don't want to know. I'd rather just say we fell asleep and didn't know if the storm and stopped or not."  
  
"I thought you were the town's good girl," he said kissing her nose. She gave him a puzzled look which turned into a smile within seconds. "Sounds like Wendell isn't the only genius around here."  
  
They lay down after a few minutes, figuring they should get a little sleep at least. Amy rested her head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat. They covered themselves with the blanket and extinguished the candles.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"Are you afraid of being alone  
  
cause I am, I'm lost without you  
  
are you afraid of leaving tonight  
  
cause I am, I'm lost without you"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"I love you," he whispered in her ear.  
  
"I love you too," she said kissing him now, relieved that she finally got to say how she had been feeling for all those months. Their kisses lasted for several minutes. "I'm really glad I'm breaking curfew right now," she said smiling.  
  
"Me too," he said rubbing her back.  
  
"There is one thing I've been wondering about though," she said, her voice soft as she started to drift into sleep.  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"That wasn't really Delia's Good Charlotte CD, was it?" she said yawning.  
  
"You think I'd listen to that type of music?" he asked playfully.  
  
"Yes. You knew every single word." She said gently laughing.  
  
"Okay . . . you caught me. What's so wrong with Good Charlotte anyway?"  
  
"Nothing! I like them too. At least you don't have Bright's taste of music. God."  
  
"What? Mandy puts him in the mood." He said jokingly.  
  
"You know what? I don't want to know how you know that." She said kissing him on the cheek and resting her head back down on his chest.  
  
"Goodnight," he whispered.  
  
"Night," she said and fell asleep within a matter of seconds. Resting in his arms, she was the most comfortable and happy she had been in over a year.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
"Are you afraid of being alone  
  
cause I am, I'm lost without you  
  
are you afraid of leaving tonight  
  
cause I am, I'm lost without you  
  
are you afraid of being alone  
  
cause I am, I'm lost without you  
  
are you afraid of leaving tonight  
  
cause I am, I'm lost without you"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
As they slept they dreamt only of each other. And while it seemed everything could be perfect for once, they were oblivious to everything else . . . including what was about to happen in just a few hours. . .  
  
"I just CANNOT believe that Amy would DO something like this," Dr. Abbott said as sat in the passenger side of the car while Andy drove them to the lodge.  
  
"Well I can believe Ephram did. He'd do just about anything to be with her"  
  
"You don't think they're doing anything stupid, Andy, do you?" Amy's father asked in a questioning tone.  
  
Andy chuckled then said, "Well, two weeks ago they weren't even talking, one week ago they were having a pillow fight. God knows what they're doing tonight."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
"I'm lost without you  
  
I'm lost without you  
  
I'm lost without you  
  
I'm lost without you  
  
I'm lost without you"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````` 


	12. See you soon

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or the characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 11 uses "See you Soon" by Coldplay  
  
Chapter 11: See you soon  
  
"For the love of GOD, Harold, would you watch you step?" Andy said agitatedly.  
  
"Well I'm SORRY but I'm trying to avoid slipping. We'll be no use to the kids if we get hurt,"  
  
"Well, just . . . just walk in front of me or something then."  
  
"What? So I trespass on private property FIRST? I don't think so." Harold said in response.  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
They hadn't been sleeping long when dawn broke in the small cabin. The light crept through the warped boards that formed the walls and from the broken windows, but still the room was too dark to see much else. Ephram stirred, his left arm being completely numb from Amy laying on it. He smiled as he saw that she was still completely asleep. Deciding whether or not to go back to sleep was the only problem Ephram had just then. Just then at least. He tried to slide his arm out from underneath her so he could go to the bathroom and was successful, for a few minutes at least. She opened her eyes a few moments after he had left the room.  
  
"Ephram? Where'd you go?" she asked groggily, rubbing her eyes.  
  
"I'm in the bathroom. I'll be out in a second. How'd you sleep?" his voice loud so she could hear him,  
  
"Pretty well for being on that hard floor," she said shouting back so he could hear her in the other room.  
  
"Yeah, me too. This bathroom is really gross," he said making her laugh. He then walked out and sat down next to her again. "I don't know about you, but I wouldn't mind snuggling a little more, even if it IS on the hard floor." He said pulling the blanket back over them.  
  
"This has got to be the darkest building known to man," she said as she wrapped her arms around him. "I still can barely see you,"  
  
"Yeah it's pretty amazing actually," he said kissing her softly.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"So you lost your trust  
  
And you never should have  
  
And you never should have  
  
But don't break your back  
  
If you ever see this  
  
But don't answer that  
  
In a bullet proof vest  
  
With the windows all closed  
  
I'll be doing my best  
  
I'll see you soon  
  
In a telescope lens  
  
And when all you want is friends  
  
I'll see you soon"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"I think that one must be it!" Andy Brown said as the two fathers approached the cabin.  
  
"Well, should we knock?" Harold asked seriously causing Andy to break out into laughter. "We walked in all those other buildings looking for them and they weren't the right ones. . ."  
  
"Yes, well we've run out of all the "wrong" cabins. Besides those people were pretty friendly . . ."  
  
"Oh would you just open the door then?" Harold said pounding on the door to loosen all the ice and snow that was packed along the doorframe.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Amy and Ephram's kiss was broken when they heard the very pounding on the door. Never in their wildest dreams could they have anticipated that it would be their two very angry, very cold, very crabby fathers . . . working together.  
  
"What the hell was that noise?" Ephram said as he pulled away from Amy's lips.  
  
"It sounded like it was coming from the door. You don't think people still live here, do you?" she said her voice shaking.  
  
"I would hope not, that bathroom was god-awful!" he said seriously. Amy rolled her eyes.  
  
"Well maybe it was just an animal or something. We'll just keep our ears open." She said kissing him again.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
"Well if they ARE in here I understand how they couldn't get out," Dr. Brown said still trying to loosen the packed snow and ice.  
  
"Why would they even COME out here? Even if they DID think there was a party like that Wendell person said, they had to have really looked to find a place like this."  
  
"Just keep hitting the door," Andy said determinedly.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
This time it was Amy that pulled away from the kiss. "Now it sounds like voices. God, light the candles or something at least. This is getting really creepy."  
  
Ephram searched left and right for the lighter. His hands ran along the hard floor boards, but the only thing he picked up were slivers. "Damn it, I can't find it!"  
  
"What do you mean? It was right by our feet!" she said trying to keep her voice down but the volume increased out of panic.  
  
"I don't know! We must've kicked it in the middle of the night or something!" he said trying to do the same. "It's so dark in here. They won't even find us most likely."  
  
"Unless they have flashlights!" she said seriously.  
  
"Who would think to bring flashlights, Amy?" he said sarcastically.  
  
"I don't need you making fun of me right now," she said in a baby voice, laughing lightly, and hitting him. He grabbed her hand and kissed it.  
  
The door began to open, just a crack at first but then wider and wider. Ephram and Amy were too busy fake "fighting" to notice. Ephram had resorted to tickling her when he found the lighter next to them.  
  
"Look! Here it is! Quick, hand me those candles!" He said. Amy wrapped her arms around his stomach as she stood behind him. The room became lighter as each candle was lit. Ephram threw the lighter at the door and they didn't hear it hit anything; not anything hard like the door at least. They were silenced when they saw the shadowed figures standing in the door frame. The lighter hadn't hit the door, it had hit a person.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"So they came for you  
  
They came snapping at your heels  
  
They come snapping at your heels  
  
But don't break your back  
  
If you ever say this  
  
But don't answer that"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"AMY?!" Dr. Abbott shouted. Her spirits fell, but her arms, which were around didn't.  
  
"Dad . . ." she said now dropping her arms and her smile. Ephram fixed his hair and let his eyes meet his father's. They were stone, they didn't let up, didn't let anything weaken them.  
  
"What, may I ask, ARE you two doing in an old, falling-to-pieces cabin?" Andy asked now, his glare not leaving Ephram.  
  
"We were going to a party that someone told us about," Amy said shyly, trying to alleviate the pain of their gazes a little.  
  
"Well that's simply WONDERFUL, Amy. A PARTY!" Dr. Abbott said throwing his hands into the air. "Well my goodness, THAT sounds like something YOU should be going to!" he said sarcastically, his voice getting louder, tone getting sharper. She looked down and away from him.  
  
"Even more so, Ephram, what are you doing here when I told you that you couldn't come?!" Andy said angrily.  
  
"I wanted to see Amy," he said confidently. Amy cringed as she knew that was the worst thing he could've said to help either of their cases.  
  
"Even BETTER!" Dr. Abbott continued in his loud tone, "You know, Amy, I didn't think that going on a school trip would give way to an opportunity to run off with a boy."  
  
"Dad, we didn't KNOW that there wasn't a party!" she shouted defending herself.  
  
"You know, you had everyone sick thinking about you two lost somewhere. Especially in a snowstorm like last night!" Andy said trying to lower the harshness in his voice but failing.  
  
"We didn't mean to worry anyone. We tried to leave but the storm was so bad and the door was stuck." Ephram said in a flat, monotone voice.  
  
"Well you can bet you're leaving now!" Andy said.  
  
"And I don't even want to THINK about what happened with you two last night." Dr. Abbott said.  
  
"Nothing happened!" Amy said.  
  
"Well excuse me if I don't believe someone who runs off without telling anyone where she's going!" her father said. "Get whatever it is you brought. And say goodbye to Ephram. You two won't be riding home in the same car together. I'll be staying up here as a chaperone until tomorrow when the trip is over!" he said starting to walk out of the door. Amy was heartbroken. Andy said nothing, but followed Harold outside.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"In a bullet proof vest  
  
With the windows all closed  
  
I'll be doing my best  
  
I'll see you soon"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
Amy began to cry. The steady streams trickled down her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around Ephram's neck. He held her as he whispered,  
  
"Don't worry, everything's going to be okay. We didn't do anything wrong."  
  
"It doesn't matter what we say, Ephram, they won't believe us!" she said trying to keep quiet so their fathers wouldn't hear.  
  
"They can't condemn us for something we never did. You and I both know nothing happened with us last night. Kisses and sleeping, that's it. They can say whatever they want, but that doesn't make it true."  
  
"Well it's enough for them to keep us from seeing each other," she said softly, still in his embrace.  
  
"We have school, and don't worry, they can't keep us from each other, how can they monitor where we are every second?" he said trying to calm her.  
  
"I don't regret coming here," she said kissing him on the cheek.  
  
"Neither do I. Not one second. So they got us, so what? We found out we love each other and that's worth everything."  
  
"So when will I see you again?" she asked quieting her tears.  
  
"Soon." He responded, kissed her lightly and walked out the door, joining his dad.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````  
  
"In a telescope lens  
  
And when all you want is friends  
  
I'll see you soon  
  
I'll see you soon"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````  
  
The Brown men walked in silence through the frozen woods, neither feeling they had enough composure to talk to the other. Dr. Abbott and Amy followed silently a few minutes behind them. She could see Ephram's head in the distance.  
  
"Amy, you CAN'T keep doing these things!" he said sounding concerned. "You're killing your mother and I, not to mention Bright. Now I got you the prescription you wanted, what ELSE can I get you? Tell me and I will, I promise. I just want you to get back to yourself." He said placing a hand on her shoulder as they walked carefully through the banks of snow. Amy stopped.  
  
"I just want to be free to make my own decisions," she said sadly.  
  
"Like you did last night? Amy, you're 16, I understand you may not have good judgment all the time, but what you two did wasn't right." He said stopping also.  
  
"I don't know what you think we did, exactly but all it was, was sleeping and a few kisses; nothing for you to freak out about." She hadn't even wanted to tell her father she kissed him, it didn't seem like it was any of his business.  
  
"I wish I could believe you," he said.  
  
"Then why don't you start trying?" she said and the continued in silence the rest of the way back.  
  
When Andy and Ephram Brown had reached the car they got in silently. It wasn't until half way home that Andy finally spoke,  
  
"You know, Ephram I'm not angry at you for why you may think. Yes, I'm angry that you disobeyed me, yes I'm angry that you and Amy were off in some cabin, but that's not what bothers me most. What hurts me the most is that you made me worry. I haven't felt pain like that in a very long time, do you understand?"  
  
"What? Since Linda said she didn't want to be in a relationship with you?" he asked smartly.  
  
"No. Since your mother died." Ephram fell silent, feeling like he had been completely selfish.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"And oh, you lost your trust  
  
And oh, you lost your trust  
  
No, don't lose your trust  
  
And oh, you lost your trust"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
A/N: Well the drama had to start somewhere or the story would be ending, and we can't have that! Thanks for your reviews! You guys are the best. 


	13. Waiting on an Angel

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 12 uses "Waiting on an Angel" by Ben Harper  
  
Chapter 12: Waiting on an Angel  
  
Ephram immediately dropped his bags as he stepped in the door of his home. Nothing was ever perfect; nothing. It seemed that every time he found a reason not to be sad, a way to feel happy, it was shot down before it barely got off the ground. Had it not been for Delia's smiling face that morning, he may have just broken down in tears. He'd save that much for later.  
  
"Ephram! Never run away again!" she said hugging him.  
  
"I didn't run away. I just went on a school trip," he said happy that at least one member in his family was glad to see him. "But don't worry, that won't be happening again either."  
  
"Well, did you have fun at least?" she asked, genuinely interested.  
  
"Yes, it was worth the whole thing," he said smiling.  
  
Andy Brown came in to see his son and daughter smiling and telling stories. Even though he was upset with Ephram, it always made him smile when his children were getting along.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````  
  
"Waiting on an angel.  
  
One to carry me home.  
  
Hope you come to see me soon,  
cause I don't want to go alone,  
  
I don't want to go alone."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````  
  
"I tried to call you, you know," Bright said as he and his sister sat side by side on the bus on the way home the next day.  
  
"Yeah, I should've answered. I didn't think it was important." She said staring out the window.  
  
"What? I'm ALWAYS important!" He said laughing and pointing to himself.  
  
"Right," she said rolling her eyes. "Well I'm sorry I didn't pick up. Thanks for trying." She said looking at him. He nodded.  
  
"So what happened exactly?" he asked. While he was all for Ephram getting some action, he didn't want it to be with his sister.  
  
"Nothing happened. Nothing THAT big at least. We found out we love each other and we're going to try a relationship, for real this time."  
  
"Well then why is Dad all worried something happened?"  
  
"He came in and things were all disheveled around because we were looking for a lighter to light the candles. I think he thought it was weird we had candles in the first place. At any rate, I don't think Dad OR Dr. Brown are too keen on letting Ephram and I be around each other for awhile. I think it's stupid. If they think we slept together than what's done is done. I don't know what they're trying to prevent."  
  
"Don't worry, I'll talk to him." He said confidently.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
"Now angel won't you come by me.  
  
Angel hear my plea.  
  
Take my hand, lift me up  
so that I can fly with thee,  
  
so that I can fly with thee."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"Ephram, I'm not trying to be a tyrant here, I know how much you care for Amy, but Dr. Abbott and I decided it'd be best if you just had some time apart."  
  
"What? Because you think I slept with her? I didn't! You guys don't listen to us! Look, I love her, okay? I've never loved anyone the way I love her. I'm sorry I made you worry, but nothing happened, I swear it, and I think it's ignorant of you two grown men to keep two people apart that care about each other."  
  
"I just don't want you to have to take on responsibility for anyone when you're so young, I'm just looking out for you, son."  
  
"There is no added responsibility because I DIDN'T SLEEP WITH AMY!" he yelled and Delia entered from the other room with her mouth wide open.  
  
"Eph . . ." she said slowly but Andy cut her off.  
  
"Go back in the other room, sweetie." He said softening his eyes to her. She listened and walked slowly into the other room so she could still hear the conversation.  
  
"Swear it to me." Andy said now looking his son straight in the eye.  
  
"I already DID!" He said starting to get emotional.  
  
"Well, would you have slept with her?" he asked. The tears in Ephram's eyes made Andy start to believe him.  
  
"I don't know," he said honestly. "I'm not going to say 'no' because that's most likely a lie." He said looking to the side.  
  
"You're very young, Ephram. That's not the kind of thing you just throw around."  
  
"I know, Dad. Listen, I can't promise you that I wouldn't want to, and I can't promise you that I won't in the future, but I can promise you that it didn't happen last night, okay?"  
  
"Okay," he said believing his son now. "But no more running off like that, understand?"  
  
"Yeah." He said as And got up to leave for his office.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````  
  
"And I'm waiting on an angel.  
  
And I know it won't be long  
to find myself a resting place  
in my angel's arms,  
  
in my angel's arms."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````  
  
As the bus pulled into the school parking lot, the Abbotts filed out. Bright and Amy talked in the car on the way home as Harold thought of nothing but finding his daughter with Ephram. She was his baby, his little girl, and as much as he knew she liked Ephram; that he made her happy, he couldn't accept that she was growing up that much. He looked in the rearview mirror at his two children and smiled. It was nice to see her laughing again.  
  
Rose greeted Amy and Bright with a hug and asked for stories about the trip. She had her own intentions to interrogate Amy about the cabin later, so she played it cool at first. After Harold had retired to his office and Rose to the store, Amy decided to go see how Ephram was doing. She knew she wasn't supposed to leave the house for awhile (she was still in trouble) but she also knew that Bright had promised to both cover for her and talk to their Dad about her and Ephram.  
  
She arrived at the Brown house a few minutes later. Knocking on the door, she saw a smiling Delia.  
  
"Hi, can I see Ephram?" she asked sweetly.  
  
"My Dad said he isn't supposed to see you . . .but, you're cool, and Dad's gone, so . . .okay!" she said opening the door more widely and moving out of the way so Amy could enter.  
  
"Thanks, Delia. Don't tell your brother I'm here, okay?" she said smiling.  
  
"Okay," she said smiling in return.  
  
Amy walked to Ephram's room and glanced through the crack of the door. He was sitting on his bed writing in a notebook. He looked very involved in what he was doing and he had headphones on. She fidgeted, trying to find the perfect thing to say to him when he noticed her. It didn't take long.  
  
She walked in, walked behind the bed, as he was sitting on the side, and put her hands over his eyes. He jumped at first thinking it was Delia but when she spoke, he knew otherwise.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
So speak kind to a stranger,  
cause you'll never know,  
it just might be an angel come,  
  
Oh- knockin' at your door,  
Oh- knockin' at your door.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"Amy," he whispered as he leaned his head back and kissed her. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I wanted to make sure you were okay after the ride home with your dad," she said wit a nervous look on her face.  
  
"Dad and I talked, believe it or not, and he knows nothing happened between us."  
  
"Bright's supposedly talking to my dad right now about that. I hope he convinces him."  
  
"I'm sorry I caused us so much trouble by coming out on the ski trip. I suppose I could've just waited till you got home to tell you how I felt, but I didn't want anyone else getting in the way. When I heard Wendell was going to be there and Tommy . . . well, so help me I was jealous; jealous and worried."  
  
"Wendell's a nice guy; he just . . . has his priorities mixed up. Tommy's my friend, you know that. I told him I didn't want to go out with him again because I had feelings for someone else." She said kissing him.  
  
"How long can you stay?" he asked as their kiss ended.  
  
"Only a few more minutes, Bright's doing me a favor by talking to Dad but he's not THAT good at distracting for long periods of time." She said laughing.  
  
Delia burst in the room. Ephram rolled his eyes as he took his hands off Amy's waist for a second.  
  
"What is it?" he asked annoyed.  
  
"Dad just came home. He forgot something, you two better hide or something."  
  
"Oh God, not again!" Amy said. Ephram helped her in Delia's closet (figuring Andy wouldn't ever suspect that) and he walked out to see his dad.  
  
"Everything okay, Dad?" he asked calmly.  
  
"Yeah, I was just looking for my briefcase. I left it here somewhere." He said. "Oh look! There it is. Alright, I'll see you kids later." He walked out the front door and Ephram rushed back up to his room to let Amy out of his sister's closet.  
  
As he opened the door she pulled him inside with her and kissed him. Delia waited outside the door to make sure she would be there to warn them in case Andy came back for something else.  
  
"Delia GO away!" Ephram shouted loudly from inside the closet between kisses. Amy wasn't letting up at all.  
  
"I'm protecting you guys," she said giggling.  
  
"No you aren't, you're being nosy!" He said laughing because Amy had started to tickle him.  
  
"That's MY closet you know!" she screamed, giggling all the more.  
  
"You have cute clothes, Delia," Amy said trying to smooth things over between the siblings. "Just let her be," she whispered to Amy.  
  
"Thanks, I like them!" she said proudly.  
  
Time passed and it was necessary that Amy go back home before Bright couldn't handle stalling anymore. Ephram walked her outside and gave her a kiss on the cheek.  
  
"I'll see you at school, okay?" he said beaming.  
  
"Okay," she said squeezing his hand. "I love you,"  
  
"I love you too," he said and walked back in the house to watch her leave.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
"And I'm waiting on an angel.  
  
And I know it won't be long  
to find myself a resting place  
in my angel's arms,  
  
Oh- in my angel's arms."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
"Dad, just please believe me. Amy wouldn't lie to me," Bright pleaded with his father.  
  
"She's lied to me," he said sternly.  
  
"Not about this." His son said seriously, tears forming in his eyes. Dr. Abbott's face loosened and he sighed. After arguing with his son about this for an hour he had finally started to believe him.  
  
"Well she better keep herself out of trouble in the future," he said trying to sound stubborn but really was weakened. By trouble, Bright knew he had meant Ephram.  
  
Just as Bright stood up to leave the room Amy walked in. Bright smiled, feeling like he had accomplished something and Amy mouthed 'thank you' to him. Dr. Abbott stood up and pulled Amy into a hug.  
  
~~~~~~  
  
Amy hadn't seen Ephram at school that day. She hoped Dr. Brown hadn't found out about the closet excursion the day before; even if AGAIN nothing happened. As she walked outside to her car she saw a figure leaning against it. She smiled, feeling her heart race at the thought of it being Eprham. As she got closer, however, she saw that it wasn't him at all. The boy turned and smiled at her as she stopped.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she asked.  
  
"I came to see you," he answered putting a strand of her hair behind her ear so it would cease blowing in her eyes.  
  
~~~~~  
Ephram indeed hadn't gone to school that day, but the reason wasn't what Amy had thought. He felt sick, like he had the flu, so decided to just take a day off. He figured he'd call her later now that things were beginning to smooth out between parental units. And while he wanted to see Amy more than anything that day, he didn't want her to get sick. *Not that it would matter much,* he thought, *She probably already got my germs from yesterday.* He smiled and got a glazed look in his eyes.  
  
Who knew germs could be so romantic?  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````  
  
"Waiting on an angel.  
  
One to carry me home.  
  
Hope you come to see me soon,  
cause I don't want to go alone,  
  
I don't want to go alone,  
  
don't want to go,  
  
I don't want to go alone."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````` 


	14. Disarm

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 13 uses "Disarm" by The Smashing Pumpkins  
  
Chapter 13: Disarm  
  
"I thought you left County High," Amy said, rubbing her hands together from the cold as she stood outside by her car.  
  
"I did," the voice said as he smiled. "But you're still here."  
  
"Obviously," she said sarcastically, making him laugh. "Tommy, you're starting to freak me out, it's like you're following me or something," she said more playfully than angrily. The tone in her voice was light, friendly.  
  
"I just wanted to see if you wanted to hang out, I heard what happened with Ephram." He said motioning for her to get in her car so she could get out of the wind. She did and unlocked the door for him to enter the passenger side.  
  
"I told you I have feelings for someone else. That someone else is Ephram. You and I are friends, remember?" she said seriously.  
  
"Oh I know, I'm not trying to be anything more," he said with absolute honesty, making her relax. "I just needed someone to talk to about . . . things . . ." he started.  
  
"Well wouldn't you pick one of your better friends to talk to about 'things?' We hardly know each other." She asked confusedly.  
  
"I can't talk to them about real issues. All they want to talk about is girls and drinking and stuff, and as you know I'm clean and sober now, so. . ." he stopped feeling like he had been rambling.  
  
"So they make you uncomfortable?" she asked, understanding how he felt.  
  
"To say the least, yes. With you, I don't know . . . with you it just feels like you really care and understand what I'm going through. Just because I'm sober doesn't mean I don't trip up every now and then, or think about it. So," he continued in a very serious and desperate tone, biting his lower lip in hopes she'd agree.  
  
"You're very convincing," she said as they drove to Mama Joy's diner.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"Disarm you with a smile  
  
And cut you like you want me to  
  
Cut that little child  
  
Inside of me and such a part of you  
  
Ooh, the years burn"  
Ooh, the years burn  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
Amy and her new friend sat at a booth by one of the windows. It was true, no one who saw them could've denied it; there was some sort of connection when they spoke. Not the kind she and Ephram had, certainly not that kind, but definitely one she hadn't ever felt before. While his story was brazen and depressing, his tone remained steady and coy. She wondered how he did it; how he managed to pull through all he had and still come across as a well-balanced young man; in her eyes at least.  
  
The town shot glares at the two of them as they sat in that booth. No one in Everwood liked Tommy, no one sympathized with him . . . because know one understood him.  
  
"And so my parents couldn't deal with me doing drugs anymore and they just stopped caring. I remember when I was little . . . mom and dad used to understand me more than anyone else could, even my friends. We were happy until only a few years ago. That's when I got the reputation I have around here today."  
  
"What happened?" she asked genuinely interested.  
  
"My parents started fighting . . . I wasn't doing well in school because I never spent enough time at home to do my homework. When I WAS at home I couldn't concentrate because of all the fighting. I needed an escape so I hung out with friends a lot. One day one of them suggested we go to a party. I didn't want to seem lame so I agreed to go. When I drank there, when I did my drugs, I couldn't feel the pain that my family was causing. All I could feel was happiness. It got to the point that that was the ONLY way I could feel happiness" He said starting to tear up.  
  
"When I cleaned up . . . when I came back . . . they pretended like nothing had changed between us. Even now I can't look at them without it biting at me. Now maybe I'm immature or ignorant to blame my problems on them. They aren't the reason I became hooked on drugs and alcohol, I was the reason. Only I could decide what to do in my life, not that they would've cared, anyway. The only reason that it hurts me so much to look at them is because they weren't there while I was getting help. They abandoned me. My friends pretend I never had a problem, try to get me to do the same things that got me in trouble . . . and that's why you're different from them." He smiled.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"I used to be a little boy  
  
So old in my shoes  
  
And what I choose is my choice  
  
What's a boy supposed to do?  
  
The killer in me is the killer in you  
  
My love  
  
I send this smile over to you"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"My situation is different." She said slowly, touched by his story. She was about to tell him what she went through for the first time. "When I was little there was a boy . . .Colin Hart." She smiled as she said his name even now. Certain that he knew of the tragic tale of Colin's death, she chose to speak of his life. He nodded and opened his ears carefully to take in her tale, her misery. For if they could share in their sad experiences, she thought, maybe they could help each other heal.  
  
She continued, "He was the first boy I kissed, the first boy I loved . . . not the last boy I loved though," she smiled as she thought of Ephram. "Colin and I shared EVERYTHING with each other, he was the only who could make me smile when I was sad and he was the only one that could stop my tears. For awhile he was the only one who could do ANYTHING for me. . ." she looked out the window with a distant, peaceful, nostalgic look in her eye. Tommy still remained silent. "When he . . . went into that coma, I felt more alone than I ever had in my life. You see, Colin had always been there. Always. Then he wasn't, or he was . . . but not in the way I needed him to be. Maybe it was selfish of me, but I was angry with him for a long time." She fell silent for a long while.  
  
"Hey," he said gently and she finally turned t look at him again. "It's okay. You don't have to keep going, we're friends now, right? We can talk about this anytime."  
  
"I'm okay," she said nodding, wiping a tear away from her cheek.  
  
"Okay," he said smiling.  
  
"I was sad and angry and hopeless, maybe it was stupid of me to have depended on someone so much that I fell to pieces without him . . . but it was too late, I already had. I was low, I hid it well but inside I was caving in. Then," she said smiling again, "Ephram came. Sure, at first I talked to him because his father was Colin's only hope, but then it became more. It took me a long time to admit, but not long to see, that Ephram had come to Everwood to fill the void of Colin. Suddenly HE was everything I needed, and Colin . . . well Colin was Colin. I hurt Ephram, hurt myself, pushed away from him because I felt I was being unfaithful to my comatose boyfriend by loving another. But nonetheless, I loved Ephram." She sighed, taking a sip of her water.  
  
"When Colin died, I was angry all over again. I felt like God was teasing me when he let Colin come back to me for awhile. I blamed everyone for Colin's death . . . and I had pushed Ephram away so much by then that I couldn't just depend on him again. That's when I got depressed. I had no one again, and this time it was all my fault." She said tearing up again.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"Disarm you with a smile  
  
And leave you like they left me here  
  
To wither in denial  
  
The bitterness of one who's left alone  
  
Ooh, the years burn  
  
Ooh, the years burn, burn, burn"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"I wish I had a friend like Ephram," he said slowly, testing to see what she'd say. He didn't know how much more she felt like talking to him about this subject. But to his surprise, she smiled.  
  
"He is a great friend. And now, recently, we've become more. Up at the ski resort we talked. I love him so much and he loves me. He's so forgiving and he's so patient. More patient than I could ever be." She ran her index finger along the brim of her water glass.  
  
"Thank you for listening to me, Amy," Tommy said kindly.  
  
"No, thank you. I think this is the first time I've ever told anyone how I felt about Ephram the whole time I've known him. . ." she said suddenly realizing that this conversation had been one of the most refreshing ones she had had in a long time. She had needed that, desperately.  
  
"I'm sorry if I seemed pushy about coming today, or even when we went out before, or on the ski trip. I just needed someone to talk to, someone to trust, you know?"  
  
"More than you can imagine." She said smiling.  
  
"I'm glad both our high schools went on that trip, even if I didn't exactly have the best time." He said looking to the side. "Kayla kinda ruined that."  
  
"Kayla pretty much ruins everything," she said nodding and starting to laugh. "Don't take anything she says seriously, she's a user."  
  
"So I've gathered," he said laughing now too. "Is there any truth in the fact Wendell doesn't wear deodorant?" he asked cringing.  
  
"No, that's bogus too. Wendell's a sweet guy, he just . . . well he's just different than other people. More people should be nice to him." She said sipping her water. She was having a great time, surprisingly enough. "How'd you even run into them anyway?" she asked scrunching up her nose.  
  
"They were looking for you, actually. Kayla immediately mentioned I might know . . . yaddah yaddah." He said making his hand go in a circular motion.  
  
"Ah the cycle of gossip" she said laughing and closing her eyes.  
  
"I know its wrath all too well," he said smiling, taking the last sip of his coffee.  
  
They talked a few more minutes and finally left the diner as it was getting dark out. Amy didn't understand why everyone disliked Tommy so much; he seemed genuine enough and gentle. Small town people are hard to sway once they have an opinion about something.  
  
"Don't be a stranger, Callahan," she shouted as he got out of her car and walked up the stairs to his house. She knew that he was about to leave the good times they just had and reenter the world that would bring him into depression once again; his home, his family.  
  
"I won't!" He yelled and tipped his imaginary hat to her like had the night they met.  
  
He opened the door and stepped inside. His father was standing in front of the door's entrance waiting for him to arrive home. "Who was that?" he asked harshly.  
  
"My friend," he said walking past him without looking at him. His dad put his arm out to stop him from walking any farther.  
  
"What's her name?" he asked even more sternly.  
  
"Amy Abbott," he said through gritted teeth, trying to force past his dad's arm.  
  
"Don't go messing up her life like you have with everyone else." His father said pushing his arm against his son's stomach with more force.  
  
"Leave me the hell alone!" he shouted and broke away from his father, running up the stairs fast as he could.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"I used to be a little boy  
  
So old in my shoes  
  
And what I choose is my voice  
  
What's a boy supposed to do?  
  
The killer in me is the killer in you  
  
My love  
  
I send this smile over to you"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
Amy pulled in her driveway and there stood Ephram. He was soaking from head to toe from the snow, but he smiled more brilliantly than ever. She ran into his arms the second she stepped out of her car, and he spun her around.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she asked kissing him between each word she spoke. "I thought you were sick," she said concerned, tilting her head a little to the side.  
  
"Well, I doubt I'm contagious, I've stayed in bed all day long waiting to see you. Now that our parents are over their misunderstanding. . ." he said hugging her more tightly.  
  
"Well let's go inside at least she said squeezing his hand with her mitten covered hand. She pulled him inside where they sat and drank cocoa. They always seemed to be drinking cocoa.  
  
"Did you have a good day then?" he asked her as he sneezed.  
  
"Ephram, you still seem pretty sick," she said lowering her brow and faking a motherly concern.  
  
"I'm perfectly fine!" he said laughing as she through a pillow at him.  
  
"Yeah, my day went okay. I missed you at school, though. How long were you waiting out there for me?"  
  
"A few hours, it was cold, but worth the end result," he said kissing her cheek. Germs weren't an obstacle when it came to these two. "Where were you anyway?" he asked innocently.  
  
"You're not going to be happy when I tell you, but it's not what you'll think." She said her eyes getting a guilty look in them.  
  
"Give me a whirl, you never know," he said trying to figure out what it was and getting more nervous with each breath.  
  
"Tommy and I went to Mama Joy's." she said and closed her eyes so she couldn't see the anger and jealous pangs that she knew would be evident in his. "We talked, we're friends, Ephram. We understand each other." She breathed.  
  
"Does HE know you're friends?" he asked calmly.  
  
"Yes, in fact, we talked about you for a lot of the time. He said he wishes he had a friend like you," she opened her eyes slowly believing he was okay from his tone. "Maybe you two could be friends?" she asked sweetly, already knowing what his response would be.  
  
"I don't know. We'll see. I don't know if I trust the guy," he said seriously.  
  
"Isn't it enough that I'm beginning to trust him?" she asked slowly.  
  
"Becareful, Amy," he said squeezing her hand.  
  
"Ephram, I can't believe you!" she said looking disgruntled at him. "You're the last person I thought would act like this. You're from New York! You should know better than to judge someone just by stories."  
  
"I live in Everwood now, Amy," he said comforting her, but she wasn't giving in.  
  
"What? I can't have friends now?!" she asked obviously growing upset.  
  
"I'm just being cautious," he said gently, trying to calm her down. He wasn't purposely making her upset. He never would. His heart took a beating with each questioning glance she shot him, was bruised with every accusing word that left her lips.  
  
"Can you just TRY not being jealous for one second, please?!" she said laughing at the ridiculousness of men sometimes, but tears flowing from her eyes. *Doesn't he TRUST me?*  
  
That was too much. She wasn't even listening to how he was speaking to her, she was just getting angry. His concern was pure, but then again, irrational. He had no right to tell her who she could and couldn't be friends with.  
  
Feeling overwhelmed with emotions of love and jealously, and as if she was being irrational, he got up and walked out of the house. He didn't even turn and look at her, he needed to get out. He wasn't angry, he loved her more than life and couldn't believe the way she was acting right then. So he left; left because if he had stayed he may have made things worse.  
  
She knew that he wasn't angry, that he was just jealous and hurt. She always made him feel that way, and she worried maybe she made him feel worse more often than she made him feel happy. She hoped not and made plans to call him tomorrow and smooth things out. She knew all they needed was a night to cool off. But she also knew she wasn't going to just stop talking to Tommy. After all, if a girl can't have friends, what can she have?  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"The killer in me is the killer in you  
  
Send this smile over to you  
  
The killer in me is the killer in you  
  
Send this smile over to you  
  
The killer in me is the killer in you  
  
Send this smile over to you"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
A/N: Yeah, so obviously all that stuff about Tommy is pretty much made up since we don't know the sorted details of his life yet. :) keep reading and reviewing. 


	15. Only Hope

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 14 uses "only hope" by Switchfoot  
  
Chapter 14: Only Hope  
  
"UNBELIEVABLE, Dad, just UNBELIEVABLE!" Ephram said storming into the house that day, his voice shocked and sad.  
  
"Something wrong, Ephram?" he asked concerned.  
  
"No, Dad, Nothing's wrong," he said sarcastically, "that's why I'm yelling. Because nothing's wrong." He paced around the room. "I was just being protective of her, she got all . . . I don't know what she was even getting at . . . she's just so . . ."  
  
"Female?" Andy asked smiling, trying to lighten the moment. His son looked up at this and smiled.  
  
"Exactly!" Ephram said agreeing with his dad.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"There's a song that's inside of my soul  
  
It's the one that I've tried to write over and over again  
  
I'm awake in the infinite cold  
  
But you sing to me over and over and over again" ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
"Feel like telling me what happened?" he asked sitting down on the couch. This would be the first time he'd ever talked to his dad about a girl he liked. This was a big step.  
  
"Well, as you may or may not know . . ." he started, figuring there was still time to change his mind about telling his dad. "Amy and I have started a relationship. While we're going slowly, I'm really committed to her, and I'd like to think she is to me . . ."  
  
Andy took in a deep breath and nodded. He understood. Ephram continued, "But there's Tommy. They're getting closer, Dad, and it worries me. I don't trust him. She just says I'm being jealous but . . ."  
  
"I know how you feel, son. The thing is, we're guys," he said slapping him on the back. "We get jealous for reasons we don't even really understand. Another guy is by our women, we fly off the handle." He felt he and Ephram were really connecting. It made him damn proud.  
  
"So you agree with her then?" he said confused at first.  
  
"You just feel she's giving you less attention," he said trying to explain rationally. "Try and spend time with them, see if what you're feeling is valid and if it still bothers you say something but if it doesn't then you should apologize."  
  
"Apologize?"  
  
"Son, it's the only way," he said shaking his head. Ephram nodded.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"So I lay my head back down  
  
And I lift my hands and pray  
  
To be only yours  
  
I pray to be only yours  
  
I know now you're my only hope"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
Amy sat on her bed looking at pictures of she and Ephram when the phone rang. Picking it up, her voice was somewhere between sad and confused; her "hello" different than usual.  
"Why so down?" the voice said happily.  
  
"Tommy," she said and took a deep breath. "How are you?"  
  
"Pretty bored right now, actually. Oh, and pissed at my parents as usual. How are you?" he asked reluctantly.  
  
"Pretty upset, actually." She said, as his voice fell silent. "Ephram and I had our first fight. Well, first since we started dating, at least."  
  
"That sucks, I know how that goes. So, I suppose now would be a bad time to ask you if you wanted to go to the record store?" he said slowly, tone full of hope.  
  
"Actually, it'd be really good to get out of the house for awhile," she said smiling. "When you coming?"  
  
"Right now," he said hanging up. She closed her eyes and when she opened them saw Ephram's face in the picture she had in her hand. "God I love you, Ephram," she said to it, " but you have to understand that I need friends too."  
  
"Spend time with them?!" Ephram said outraged at the idea. "I don't want to see her smiling and laughing at him!"  
  
"Again with the jealousy, Ephram. It's never going to stop being there, but you have to try to at least mask it."  
  
"How do I do that, exactly?" he asked seriously.  
  
"When they laugh, you laugh. Hell, walk out of the room every now and then and give them time. Show her you TRUST her." Andy said. Ephram looked away, "You DO trust her, right?"  
  
"I'd like to think so. Our whole PROBLEM has been trust in the past."  
  
"Trust is easily broken, hard to mend, but it's possible. Look at you and I." he said as he looked at his son.  
  
"Yeah," Ephram said smiling with hope.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"Sing to me the song of the stars  
  
Of your galaxy dancing and laughing and laughing again  
  
When it feels like my dreams are so far  
  
Sing to me of the plans  
  
That you have for me over again"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
Amy and Tommy walked downtown talking about frivolous things like favorite bands, and how shows on the WB rule. They'd save serious talks for later, for now they both needed an escape. Amy was Tommy's safe escape, Tommy was Amy's dangerous escape.  
  
"Ha, I know right? That Greg Berlanti guy does an awesome job," Tommy said while on the topic of the WB. Amy agreed as they stepped into the record store.  
  
"I wish Ephram understood you like I do," Amy said as they flipped through the records.  
  
"I could try to talk to him. He seems like a cool guy," he said pulling one out to look at it.  
  
"I don't know . . . he's pretty . . ."  
  
"Jealous?" he asked smiling.  
  
"Yeah." She stopped, scrunching up her nose. "How'd you know?"  
  
"I'm a guy." He said, she didn't get it. "Besides, I don't blame him,"  
  
"What's that?" she asked laughing.  
  
"You're beautiful," he said touching her shoulder. "But you're not mine and I'm not asking you to be. You're becoming one of my best friends, Amy." At this she smiled. "I want to be Ephram's friend too," he added making her smile all the more at hearing her love's name.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"So I lay my head back down  
  
And I lift my hands and pray  
  
To be only yours  
  
I pray to be only yours  
  
I know now you're my only hope"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
Ephram called Amy's cell, feeling nervous even as he dialed. On the other end, Amy and Tommy had just left the record store.  
  
"It's Ephram," she said as she looked at the screen to see who it was.  
  
Tommy cringed, then smiled, "I'll just be back in the store till you've finished talking," he said turning in a circle and going back inside.  
  
"Hello?" she said sweetly.  
  
"Amy, hi," he responded nervously. "Listen, about earlier. I overreacted. I'm just, jealous, that's all," inside she was laughing; she already KNEW he was jealous, it was written all over him and she was the one to originally point it out to him. "And," he continued, "And I'd like to hang out with you guys," not saying he was sorry, as he wanted to see if there was anything to be jealous ABOUT.  
  
"You would?" she asked cheerfully.  
  
"Yes," he said trying to make his voice sound sincere. "Whenever you want."  
  
"Well, how about right now? Tommy and I are downtown we can just come get you or . . ."  
  
"I'll drive there," he said cutting her off, trying to remain calm. "Where should I meet you?" *They're already TOGETHER?* he thought.  
  
"By the record store," she said sweetly.  
  
"Alright, I'll see you then," he responded.  
  
"Oh, Ephram? Thanks for doing this, it means a lot to me."  
  
"Anything for you, Amy. I love you,"  
  
"Love you too, bye" she said hanging up.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"I give you my destiny  
  
I'm giving you all of me  
  
I want your symphony  
  
Singing in all that I am  
  
At the top of my lungs  
  
I'm giving it back"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
This was going to be interesting. She marched back inside and looked at Tommy who was already staring in her direction.  
  
"So?" he asked hopefully.  
  
"Put on your seatbelt, we're going for a wild ride," she said and told him of what was to come. She had conflicting feelings about how this whole thing would go.  
  
If only she knew.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Ephram drove slowly, trying to think of the words to say when he saw them. How would he keep his cool? Would she even care that he was there? She sounded sincere on the phone. Would she laugh with Tommy more than him? He hoped not, prayed not. And as he parallel parked on the street in front of the record store, he took in as much air as possible, knowing it'd knock the wind out of him when he saw the woman he loved standing with another man.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````  
  
"So I lay my head back down  
  
And I lift my hands and pray  
  
To be only yours  
  
I pray to be only yours  
  
I pray to be only yours  
  
I know now you're my only hope"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
A/N: Well pre-Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I'm not sure I'll be updating everyday for a few days simply because of the holiday and that whole deal. I will, however, be updating somewhat within the period of time, and DAILY UPDATES WILL RESUME ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30th. So really, probably just not Thursday and Friday. We'll see, there's always a chance. Anyways, thanks for the reviews :) 


	16. Friends as lovers, lovers as friends

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 15 uses "Friends as lovers, lovers as friends" by Zwan  
  
Chapter 15: Friends as lovers, lovers as friends  
  
"Ephram," Amy said giving him a quick, gentle, kiss on the lips. He smiled as she melted away every last ounce of his anger. "I'm so glad you came, I've missed you." He held her in his arms, rocking her back and forth and shooting not-so-casual glances in Tommy's direction.  
  
"I've missed you too," Ephram said at last kissing her forehead. To his surprise, Tommy didn't show any signs of jealousy or resentment when Ephram showed up. This, along with Amy's gentle touch, soothed him. As he pulled away from Amy, he extended his hand out toward her knew friend, "Tommy," was all he said; it's all he needed to say.  
  
Tommy smiled and nodded, "Glad you could make it."  
  
"Me too," Ephram said. So far things were going well. It wouldn't be till later that the awkwardness would set it. "So did you guys buy anything?" he asked trying to create small talk, which was hard for him because he and Amy never needed small talk.  
  
"No, no money today, just browsing. Something to do at least," Tommy explained.  
  
"Well, you guys want to come to my house and watch movies or something?" Amy asked, noticing the discomfort surrounding both guys. At her question, both seemed to lighten up. She smiled, feeling good that she had prolonged the time before the inevitable shouting match would begin.  
  
"Sounds good to me," Ephram said wrapping his arms around her waist. It was so obvious that he was testing Tommy's willpower that it practically made Amy ill. Tommy hadn't spoken; figuring sounding TOO excited about going to Amy's would make Ephram suspicious; something there was no reason to be. And so Tommy smiled and nodded.  
  
Trouble was about to begin.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"New York wasn't mine  
  
Was it me, or just my kind  
  
Spinning softly, talking cheap  
  
There's no place left to be  
  
But a road that just goes on  
  
To everyone leaving town  
  
Friends as lovers  
  
Lovers as friends"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"Oh, so I guess I'll ride with Ephram now that he's here, okay?" Amy said to Tommy as they approached the cars. She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear as it blew violently around in the wind.  
  
"Yeah . . . yeah that's cool," Tommy replied. He already had figured she'd be riding with Ephram, so it wasn't a big deal. "I'll meet you guys there then,"  
  
Ephram opened the car door for Amy and she stepped in, thanking him. "And now for some much needed alone time," she said kissing him. Although he wasn't able to resist, he knew they'd eventually have to leave for her house. Heaven forbid Tommy get there and have "alone time" with Dr. Abbott; even Ephram wouldn't wish that on him.  
  
"About earlier," Ephram started, hating to rehash the topic but still feeling guilty.  
  
"Ephram, I said its fine," Amy said closing her eyes, leaning her head back against the car seat. "I just wanted you to understand that I need friends too," she said sighing. "It doesn't mean I love you any less,"  
  
"I know . . ." he said sadly.  
  
"Give Tommy a chance. Please don't be like everyone else in this town. Please don't automatically hate him," she said, eyes still shut, seriousness boiling in her every word.  
  
With that they drove to the Abbott house. Tommy had decided to stay in his car across the street until they arrived. He got out upon seeing them pull in her driveway.  
  
"Wise choice," Amy said, "Dad's home by himself," she said nodding. Tommy just smiled.  
  
"Your Dad's cool . . ." he said smiling.  
  
"You don't have to lie, bro," Ephram said, speaking kindly to him for the first time. Tommy laughed.  
  
The all walked into the Abbott house and saw Dr. Abbott seated on the couch. His gaze turned toward his daughter, than to Ephram, who had quickly removed his hand from her waist, and finally to Tommy who was looking at his feet. Sadly, Dr. Abbott wasn't pleased with ANY of the three people that had just walked in his house. Amy was still having problems, Ephram was one of her problems, and Tommy; well, it was all a matter of time before Tommy proved to be Amy's biggest problem yet. Nonetheless, Harold Abbott greeted them all with a "hello," and staring a just bit longer at Amy, got up and went into his office.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
"Shall we dance into the night  
  
As the jukebox moans and pours out time  
  
Friends and lovers  
  
Lovers and friends  
  
There's no place left to be  
  
Than wrapped around your eyes  
  
And every passing town  
  
Or stay as lovers  
  
Or stay as friends"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"Damn," Ephram said, "He still hates me,"  
  
"No he doesn't, he just doesn't like any guys that might take me away from him," she said kissing her boyfriend on the cheek. Tommy was beginning to feel a little out of place.  
  
"If it's anyone he hates, it's me," he said seriously, forcing a smile.  
  
"Dad hates most everyone in Everwood. In fact, if he doesn't hate you then something's wrong," she said smiling. "Okay, so we have "Signs," "Moulin Rouge," "Stir of Echoes," and "Matrix Reloaded." She said looking at the pile of DVDs her family had rented the night before.  
  
"Hm, you decide, sweetheart," Ephram said squeezing her hand.  
  
"I agree," Tommy said leaning his hand against the wall, waiting for Amy to decide.  
  
"I say, "Moulin Rouge," she said excitedly. Both of the guys' faces dropped. "What? What's wrong?" she asked smiling, waving the DVD around in circles.  
  
"Too . . .oh, I don't know, it's too . . ." Tommy said trying to avoid anything that would offend her  
  
"Girly. It's too damn girly, Amy," Ephram said nodding seriously. He almost cracked a smile at the last minute.  
  
"You guys suck," she said putting it down in defeat. "Well if you wanted to decide why did you tell me I could?"  
  
"Trying to be polite," Tommy said. Ephram laughed at this. Amy sighed. She wanted them to be friends; not to gang up on her.  
  
"Well what is it that YOU two want to watch then?" She asked, dragging each word out.  
  
"Matrix Reloaded," Ephram said smiling.  
  
"Yeah that sounds cool," Tommy added. Amy rolled her eyes. It wasn't that she disliked the Matrix movies; it's just that it was an action movie; and she wasn't the least bit in the mood for an action movie.  
  
"Matrix Reloaded it is then I guess," she said popping it in. After about an hour Amy got up to get a soda, she needed a break from hearing the guys yelling about how awesome the fight scenes were. She pressed the can of Mountain Dew against her cheek, cooling her off a bit. This night was going too well, something had to give, and when it did, she was going to be ready.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"There's no prayers  
  
For dashboard light  
  
Flagging goals  
  
You're missing sides  
  
'Cause they say you are the one  
  
And there's no place left to be  
  
Than where you stand right now  
  
I know these leaving town  
  
Us as lovers  
  
Lovers as friends"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
She got back in the living room and noticed that Tommy had slid down on the couch to grab popcorn more easily when she had left. This left only a spot next to him and not next to Ephram. *Here we go* she thought and she leaned back. When the fight scene had ended, Tommy leaned back and noticed that Amy was now next to him. She had been practically invisible a few moments before.  
  
"Hey Grov, how'd you get there?" Tommy asked. Apparently he hadn't even noticed she was gone or that he had moved over.  
  
"WHAT'D you call her?!" Ephram asked loudly.  
  
"I called her Grov. As in Grover, you know, her nickname?" he said innocently.  
  
"What makes you think you can do that? Just parade into her life and pretend like you've known her for years?" Ephram asked starting to heat things up.  
  
"Ephram, calm down," Amy said whispering.  
  
"ME calm down? Me? No, Amy, I'm not going to calm down until this guy realizes his relationship to you."  
  
"And what exactly do you think my relationship with her is, Brown?" Tommy said defensively.  
  
"Friends, remember," Amy said standing up and walking towards the now standing up Ephram.  
  
"Whatever, I'm going to the bathroom," Ephram said trying to walk away.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"To your face  
  
To speak alone  
  
To your back  
  
Among the proud  
  
We're friends with lovers  
  
Lovers with friends  
  
And there's no place left to be  
  
That can keep me away from you  
  
On every passing train  
  
I see lovers  
  
I see friends"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
Amy sat down next to Tommy again. They both sighed and Amy put her head on her arm that was resting on her knee. "He overreacts," she said gently. "I'm sorry,"  
  
"No problem, don't worry, I know how much he loves you. That's why he acts that way," he said whispering.  
  
Ephram came back from his fake trip to the bathroom to see Amy seated next to a smiling Tommy on the couch, again no room for him. They didn't see him approach them and were still in conversation. She laughed with him, smiled at him. A part of Ephram didn't understand why it bothered him so much. He knew Tommy wasn't trying to take her, he was just being selfish, wanting all her attention on him. She loved him, what else did he need to know?  
  
"Ready to watch the end then?" Ephram asked finally, as they hadn't noticed him yet.  
  
"Yeah, completely," Amy said, taking his hand and pulling him down on the couch. She kissed him as Tommy stared off into space to avoid seeing it. After a few minutes he finally broke in,  
  
"Hey, OKAY so I'm putting it back on!" he said trying to get their attention. "Yep, HAHA this part is great, you guys are missing it," he said laughing. Finally Amy broke away from the kiss and rested her head on Ephram's shoulder to watch the rest of the movie.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"Darling boy  
  
You're on my mind, she says  
  
I feel your skin  
  
As if it's mine  
  
This pain it sweet  
  
Too sweet to touch  
  
And there's no place left to be  
  
In the shadow of your lives  
  
In everyone leaving town  
  
Friends as lovers  
  
Lovers as friends"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
Apparently, unbeknownst to Ephram, Amy and Tommy had already seen this movie. It became clearer as they started reciting the dialogue. Love scene dialogue.  
  
"Guess I'm the only one who hasn't seen this before," Ephram said obviously upset.  
  
"Oh, it's no big deal," Amy said kissing him on the cheek, but she continued to laugh with Tommy. Kisses were wonderful, love was wonderful, but he missed the laugher and the ease.  
  
"I think I'm going to just leave when the . . ." Ephram started but was interrupted when a pouncing Bright flew over the back of the couch and in between he and Amy.  
  
"Hey, what's up?" He asked loudly.  
  
"Shut up, dad's sleeping," Amy said annoyed, "And we're trying to watch the end."  
  
"Like you haven't seen it before," Bright said sarcastically.  
  
"Actually, I haven't," bright said raising his hand.  
  
"Dude, Amy said she's seen it a million times with her friends, I just assumed you were there. Sorry,"  
  
"That was," Amy said slowly, knowing it was killing Ephram, "with Tommy,"  
  
Ephram cringed and Bright was still oblivious to everything that was transpiring.  
  
"Tommy, guy, I still don't like you, but as long as your hands are off my sister, then you're okay," he said slapping him on the shoulder.  
  
"Alright, truth or dare time guys!" Bright screamed.  
  
"You've had way too much Mountain Dew, Bright," Amy said but her brother insisted. Ephram refused to play at first, but then realized if he didn't the consequences would be worse, much worse.  
  
Ephram should've left after the movie was over. He wasn't strong enough to hear what was about to be said.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"And there's no place left to be  
  
Than where you are right now  
  
Beside us leaving town  
  
I'm your lover  
  
I'm your friend" 


	17. Roses from my friends

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 16 uses "Roses from my friends" by Ben Harper  
  
Chapter 16: Roses from my friends  
  
"Just how much more juvenile can you get, Bright?" Amy asked her brother as he sat on the floor slurping mountain dew.  
  
"Much more, watch me," he said getting up and turning off the lights.  
  
"This would normally rule," Ephram said as he held Amy, "but with everyone else here it just kinda sucks," Amy kissed him on the cheek.  
  
"Alright, let's get this party started," Bright said rubbing his hands together in excitement.  
  
"I'm up for this," Tommy said, trying to remain neutral and get in Bright's good graces.  
  
"Excellent, my man, excellent. Maybe this guy DOES know what he's talking about," Bright said slapping Tommy on the back. Ephram sighed heavily and Amy rolled her eyes.  
  
"Okay, I say Amy goes first," Tommy said.  
  
"Why are you so eager for her to go?" Ephram shot back at Tommy immediately.  
  
"Ephram, chill out, bud. Ladies first, that's all," Bright said in all seriousness.  
  
"Okay, who's asking her the question then?" Ephram said trying to get into the game as best he could, or make good out of a bad situation as best he could.  
  
"Not you," Bright said laughing, "you'll ask her something really easy,"  
  
"So? I love her," he said. Amy blushed.  
  
"Awww, that's so sweet Ephram,"  
  
"Oh can we just NOT," Bright said making gagging sounds. Tommy laughed. "I'll ask her the question, she is after all my sister," Bright said pointing to himself.  
  
"Fine, let's just get this over with," Amy said sighing.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"I could have treated you better  
  
But you couldn't have treated me worse  
  
But it's he who laughs last  
  
Is he who cries first  
  
Sometimes I feel I know strangers  
  
Better than I know my friends  
  
Why must a beginning  
  
Be the means to an end"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"Okay, here goes. Amy," he said clapping his hands together, "Truth or dare?" he asked then snickered.  
  
"If we're going to continue this can you please not sound like a ten year old girl?" Amy asked laughing.  
  
"Shut up, that's my laugh," he said defensively. The rest laughed and Bright eventually did too. "Fine, now. Truth or dare?"  
  
"Truth," she said with confidence.  
  
"Did you sleep with Colin?" Bright asked trying to stay serious.  
  
"a.k.a am I a virgin, right?" she asked angrily.  
  
"I guess," Bright said.  
  
"Well No," she responded as Bright gasped.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"The stones from my enemies  
  
These wounds will mend  
  
But I cannot survive  
  
The roses from my friends"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
Amy's face widened, "I never slept with Colin."  
  
Bright laughed, relieved. "I thought you meant you weren't a . . ."  
  
"Yeah, we get it Bright," Tommy said. "Ephram's next, he's the youngest one after Amy," Ephram rolled his eyes.  
  
"And I'll ask him the question," Amy said. Ephram shifted and adjusted where he was sitting, pulling her closer to him, her back leaning against his chest.  
  
"Go ahead," he said, his heart speeding up.  
  
"Truth or dare, then?" Amy said sweetly.  
  
"Truth," he said casually, as if were not big deal.  
  
"Did you sleep with Madison?" This struck the wrong chord in Ephram. He certainly didn't want to talk about Madison, he was angry with her, and the question was a bit different than when they asked Amy because Madison's still alive.  
  
"Yes." Ephram said and his head fell, "Yes, I slept with Madison,"  
  
"You DID?" Amy asked shocked.  
  
"Psych!" Ephram said tickling her. "No I never slept with Madison." He said more seriously now. Amy was happy but fake punched him just the same.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"When the last word has been spoken  
  
(And) we've beared witness to the final setting sun  
  
All that shall remains is a token  
  
Of what we've said and done  
  
When all we've had has been forsaken  
  
Distant church bells no longer ring  
  
That's the sound of a heart taken  
  
And the story of tears from a king"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"I'm asking Tommy's question so Ephram can't," Bright said smartly.  
  
"What's wrong with Ephram's questions?" Amy asked innocently.  
  
"He'd dare him to jump out in front of a moving car or something," Bright explained nodding, then taking another swig of his mountain dew. Ephram nodded.  
  
"He's right," Ephram said looking at Bright and patting Tommy on the shoulder.  
  
"Truth or dare?" Bright asked.  
  
"Dare," he said. Everyone looked shocked. "What? No one else was going to," he added, laughing.  
  
"I dare you to . . ." he paused, scratching his chin, "I dare you to kiss Amy,"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
"The stones from my enemies  
  
These wounds will mend  
  
But I cannot survive  
  
The roses from my friends"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"Oh HELL no!" Ephram said standing up, "I object!"  
  
"This isn't Judge Judy, pal. It's a dare, he has to take it," Bright explained.  
  
"Um . . . this is kind of awkward," Tommy admitted.  
  
"Yeah, Bright, that was a really jerky dare you picked," Amy said nervously.  
  
"Well does it have to be in here?" Tommy asked.  
  
"YES! YES it DOES!" Ephram said angrily. Amy squeezed his hand and then stepped away from him, moving towards Tommy now.  
  
The room was dark, sound tracked only by Ephram's angry puffs of breath. To be jealous was one thing, but this was ridiculous.  
  
Tommy gave Amy a quick kiss. Their lips were the only parts of them that touched no hands or arms.  
  
"Longer," Bright said.  
  
"No one set a time limit," Ephram reminded him.  
  
"I'm in charge here, and I say longer," Bright said.  
  
"Fine," Ephram said through gritted teeth.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"This may be the last time I see you  
  
Forgive me for holding you close  
  
This may be the last time I see you  
  
So of this moment I will make the most  
  
This may be the last time I see you  
  
But if you keep me in your heart  
  
Together we shall be eternal  
  
If you believe we shall never part"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
Tommy cupped Amy's face in his hands and gently kissed her. It wasn't extremely long, but long enough to make them uncomfortable. Amy pulled away then turned to Ephram and smiled. She moved to kiss him and he turned his cheek.  
  
"What the hell, sweetie?" she asked, immediately knowing what the problem was.  
  
"I don't want your lips on mine after you kissed him,"  
  
"That's kind of an asshole thing to say!" Tommy said defensively.  
  
"HA! Well you would know ALL about being an ASSHOLE now wouldn't you?" Ephram asked intensely.  
  
"This is about the craziest truth or dare I've ever played," Bright said now finishing his soda and burping.  
  
"God, MANNERS!" Amy said throwing a pillow at him. "I should be killing YOU right now after what you've done tonight," she said at her brother.  
  
"Well, I think we're finished here," Bright said getting up, feeling angry eyes on him.  
  
"Oh no," Ephram said pushing him back down, "It's YOUR turn now, big guy," he patted him on the head. "And guess who gets to ask the question?" he said pushing down on his head until it hurt. He lowered his face so it was level with Bright's, "That's right! ME!" Bright pulled his head away from Ephram's grip.  
  
"Truth or dare?" Ephram asked, voice sounding both wounded and full of rage.  
  
"Truth," he responded.  
  
"See, I told you I'd be the only who picked Dare . . . I . . ." Tommy started then backed down after they all shot angry glances at him. "I'll just be quiet now."  
  
"Okay BRIGHT." He said pausing for effect, then pacing around the room. "Why the HELL would you make Tommy do a dare like that in front of me? No, why would you make him do it at all? I thought you were my friend!" he said now almost starting to cry from all the emotions built up inside of him.  
  
Bright stood there waiting to respond as Tommy now found a spot in the corner to sit. Amy broke down in silent tears and landed on the couch.  
  
"Answer me" Ephram said quietly.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````  
  
"The stones from my enemies  
  
These wounds will mend  
  
But I cannot survive  
  
The stones from my enemies  
  
These wounds will mend  
  
But I cannot survive  
  
I cannot survive  
  
Oh- I cannot survive  
  
The roses from my friends" 


	18. Big Big World

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 17 uses "Big Big World" by Emilia. Okay everyone, this song is supposed to be read as if she's saying it and not meaning it. I think you'll see what I mean when you read it.  
  
Chapter 17: Big Big World  
  
"I said ANSWER ME!" Ephram said shaking Bright back and forth. Still no answer.  
  
"God, Bright, just answer him!" Amy shouted between sobs.  
  
"Because I'm envious of the two of you okay?!" he said lowering his voice. "You and my sister honestly, deep down love each other. I'm 18 and I still haven't found someone I can truthfully say I loved."  
  
"I . . . I haven't either," Tommy spoke up, and coughed nervously.  
  
Amy and Ephram fell silent. Ephram slowly dropped his hand from Bright's shoulder, releasing the hold he had put on him that was so forcefully he was shoved against the wall. He knew Bright was serious; everyone knew. So once again, Ephram was left feeling like the ass.  
  
"I didn't know, I'm sorry man." Ephram said, setting his hand back on Bright's shoulder, this time out of care.  
  
"Bright, this still doesn't excuse what you did you know," Amy responded gently.  
  
"I guess I was just sick of seeing you guys so happy. I want to be happy like that, and, I never have."  
  
"Tommy, what do you have to say to all of this?" Ephram asked, still angry with Tommy for complying with Bright's dare.  
  
"I'm not trying to take your girl, man," he said raising his hands as if being accused. A cocky look spread over his face.  
  
"How'd it feel to kiss her then? Feel good? It's been what? A few weeks since you have? Bet you missed it, didn't you? DIDN'T YOU?!" he yelled now.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"I'm a big big girl  
  
in a big big world  
  
It's not a big big thing if you leave me  
  
but I do do feel that  
  
I too too will miss you much  
  
miss you much.  
  
I can see the first leaf falling  
  
it's all yellow and nice  
  
It's so very cold outside  
  
like the way I'm feeling inside"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"Don't make him out to be the bad guy here, no one is," Amy said, facing Ephram with her feelings for the first time. "I'm sick of people judging him."  
  
Ephram's feelings were twisting and turning inside of him. One minute he sympathized with Bright, the next he was angry with Tommy. He didn't need to add Amy to the list of things to worry about.  
  
"Don't do this, Amy, you don't have to," Ephram replied, gently sitting her back down on the couch. "This is between Tommy and me,"  
  
"No it's not!" Amy said standing up in protest.  
  
"Amy . . ." Tommy said calmly.  
  
"No, it's okay Tommy. This needs to be said anyway," she started. She turned to Ephram and smoothed out her skirt, as if getting ready for a speech.  
  
"I don't like where this is going," Bright said getting up,  
  
"Sit your ass down, you started all this!" Amy said pointing at the couch. He obeyed. No one was about to defy Amy right now, she looked pissed. "Ephram, there's something that's been bothering me lately,"  
  
"Let's do this in private, huh?" Ephram said trying to brush Amy's hair away from her neck. She pulled away.  
  
"No, we're doing this now." Ephram sat down, "Tommy and I are FRIENDS. Friends. Nothing more, nothing for you to worry about."  
  
"Yes, so I've been told," Ephram responded.  
  
"Don't you trust me, then?" she asked starting to tear up. She knew this was the wrong question to ask.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"I'm a big big girl  
  
in a big big world  
  
It's not a big big thing if you leave me  
  
but I do do feel that  
  
I too too will miss you much  
  
miss you much...  
  
Outside it's now raining  
  
and tears are falling from my eyes  
  
why did it all have to happen  
  
why did it all have to end"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"Trust you? I'd love to, if you'd make it possible," he explained.  
  
"This isn't like you, Ephram! Making harsh responses. What's happened to you?"  
  
"Ask this guy," he said pointing at Tommy. "I want you to stop hanging around him,"  
  
"Absolutely not, you cannot tell me what I can and can't do. You can't tell me who to hang out with and who not to."  
  
"CAN'T you see he's bad news? I'm not just being jealous, I love you." He said seriously, trying not to lose his temper with her.  
  
"If you love me then let me make my own decisions,"  
  
"Tommy, back to you now. How'd it FEEL, huh? Kissing my girlfriend."  
  
"You already asked that," Tommy said seriously.  
  
"You didn't answer,"  
  
"I don't know . . ." he started; Amy closed her eyes in defeat. He continued, "kissing my best friend. . ."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"I'm a big big girl  
  
in a big big world  
  
It's not a big big thing if you leave me  
  
but I do do feel that  
  
I too too will miss you much  
  
miss you much...  
  
I have your arms around me ooooh like fire  
  
but when I open my eyes  
  
you're gone..."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
Ephram walked up to him, "best friend?"  
  
"Yes," Tommy responded seriously. "Amy's my best friend," Bright made odd "oooooo" noises in the background until Amy shot him a death glare.  
  
"Amy, I thought I was your best friend," Ephram said defensively turning toward Amy.  
  
"I . . . I love you, Ephram, with all of my heart . . . I . . ." she said starting to cry again.  
  
"I know you do," he said rubbing her cheek with the back of his hand, gliding gently across her salty skin. "But I need you as my best friend too,"  
  
"Ephram, I can't help how I feel. Tommy and I connect, not romantically, but friendly we do. We need each other and I can't give him up, you shouldn't ask me to,"  
  
Tommy looked uncomfortably at Ephram, who seemed to be growing with anger.  
  
"Why are you so scared of Tommy and I being friends?" she asked looking him right in the eye. "You weren't afraid of you and me becoming friend when I was dating Colin,"  
  
"Yes, well look what happened. I fell in love with you,"  
  
"Is that what you're afraid is going to happen? You think I fall in love with everyone I become friends with? Yes, I fell in love with Colin, yes with you . . . but there's no pattern . . ."  
  
"I need to leave," he said, feeling sad and jealous and angry, "thank you for having me," he kissed Amy on the cheek, "I'll see you around then,"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````  
  
"I'm a big big girl  
  
in a big big world  
  
It's not a big big thing if you leave me  
  
but I do do feel that  
  
I too too will miss you much  
  
miss you much..."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````  
  
"Ephram, wait!" she said as he made his way to the front door. Bright and Tommy stood in the distance watching.  
  
"No, Amy, I can't do this anymore. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe you are. I don't know right now. Maybe I'll never know. I can't stand to see you with him. Maybe I'm the worst boyfriend in the whole world, and that's why I have to do this. Because I'm a jerk and I'm not being fair to you, I love you, you shouldn't have to deal with me being this way."  
  
"I can deal with it, please, Ephram, I'm sorry," she said crying. "Just don't be jealous,"  
  
"I can't do that right now," he said trying to break away from her.  
  
"Where are you going?" she shouted after him.  
  
"I don't know,"  
  
"I'll call you tonight, we'll go out,"  
  
"I don't think so." He said as he continued to walk. Amy ran into the house, tripping over her tears as they seemed to come down so forcefully. She bumped into Bright and then ran into the living room, wiping away the rivers that flowed out of her eyes. She cried and cried, face in her hands, heart left broken on the street.  
  
She up and tried to run up to her room but nearly passed out. Opening her eyes she realized she had now bumped into Tommy's chest. He wrapped his arms around her. She let him, crying into him. "I'm sorry," she kept repeating over and over again.  
  
"It's not your fault. It's mine, I should've left things as they were,"  
  
"No, I needed to tell him it was bothering me anyway. I just wish he hadn't taken it so hard," she said crying harder.  
  
"Well you didn't have to stick with what I said, you know," he said rocking her back and forth.  
  
"Yes I did. I don't lie to Ephram. I love him too much to ever lie to him. You're my best friend, Tommy," she said pulling away from him, "But I'm in love with Ephram, and I need him back,"  
  
"Well are you guys okay?"  
  
"I don't think so,"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"I'm a big big girl  
  
in a big big world  
  
It's not a big big thing if you leave me  
  
but I do feel I will miss you much  
  
miss you much..." 


	19. Mine all Mine

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters, I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 18 uses "Mine all Mine," by SheDaisy. Typically I don't like country. Typically I don't use country songs.but for everyone here that is or isn't a country fan, I hope you like this chapter :)  
  
Chapter 18: Mine all Mine  
  
"KAYLA!" a voice screamed, "Kayla, open the door!"  
  
Inside, a very underdressed, make-up free Kayla scurried down the stairs. Her hair in a messy bun and toothbrush in her mouth, she mumbled something indecipherable at the person pounding on her front door. When she saw who it was her mouth opened in shock, releasing the foam covered tooth brush and letting fall to the ground.  
  
"Ephram . . . what the hell are you doing here?" she managed to say with a mouth full of toothpaste. He lost all train of thought when he saw her so plain. It was more from shock than disgust. Usually she was so decked out. *not today,* he guessed.  
  
"What time is it?" he asked out of breath from running.  
  
"Well, it's like 11 pm, and again, what the hell are you doing here?" she asked as he bent over from a stomach cramp. He slowly brought his cringed face up to look at her.  
  
"Sorry, I didn't realize it was so late,"  
  
"How did you find my house?" she asked trying to wipe the toothpaste from her mouth.  
  
"I ran until I smelled money?" He said in a half questioning, half mocking tone.  
  
"Nice," she said beginning to close the door in his face. He put his hand in the way and not surprisingly she shut it anyway, squeezing his hand.  
  
"Ow, Kayla, God. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, okay? But seriously, we have to talk, just open the door before I explode out here." He said in a wounded voice. She slowly opened the door to see Ephram waving his hand around in pain. She had a look of satisfaction on her face. "god, you're evil," he mumbled.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"The sun kisses the windowsill and I am still  
On my second cup of pity me  
It's been a long night chasing ghosts but at the most  
It's been a rude awakening  
That all too late I finally see"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"Well, the damage has been done, you've seen me in my frumpy mode, so you might as well come in," she said in an exasperated tone.  
  
"Sorry to inconvenience you," he said sarcastically. He walked in and sat on the couch. To his surprise the house wasn't fancy at all. It looked plain and simple, with pictures of her family positioned pleasantly on the walls. "Aww, look, you didn't start looking like a bitch until high school," he said pointing to all her portraits from when she was younger.  
  
"Funny. You want to make fun of anything else while you're here?" she said seriously. He noticed this and backed down.  
  
"Sorry, I'll stop," he said straight faced and sat back down.  
  
"Now what is so urgent you came here this late? You and I aren't even friends," she said trying to fix her hair.  
  
"It's Amy," he said looking down.  
  
"Oh GOD. Here we go." She said sighing.  
  
"What?" he asked honestly confused.  
  
"When is it NOT Amy, seriously?" she said blowing hair out of her eyes.  
  
"Pretty much never," he said looking away as if in thought, then turning back to her, "But this time it's serious," he looked pitiful, so she bit.  
  
"Okay, what is it?" she actually looked sincere, not even believing she was doing this.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"That it's  
My loss, my lonely  
My mistake, mine only  
Mine all, mine all mine  
And it's my bad, my broken  
All my should haves left unspoken  
Mine all, mine all mine"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"We're in love, it's wonderful, but . . . I'm not her best friend anymore." He closed his eyes and then rubbed them with the palm of his hand. "She used to come to me about everything, anything. She knew was I was there when she needed to cry or laugh or smile."  
  
"Amy goes through best friends like she does hairstyles these days (A/N: the bangs, no bangs, etc.)," Kayla said seriously.  
  
"How is that supposed to make me feel better, Kayla?" he said looking up at her almost laughing.  
  
"What? Sorry, I'm not used to being compassionate to you . . ."  
  
"Obviously," he said then stopped.  
  
"I've seen what you've done for her," she said surprisingly sweetly. He smiled.  
  
"That doesn't matter. . . its never enough," he said standing up and pacing.  
  
"It should be," she responded.  
  
"I'm going out of my mind, Kayla! I can't even stand it," he said sighing.  
  
"I still don't understand why you came here," she said not snottily, but sincerely.  
  
"I figured you knew how it felt," he started, but was interrupted.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"I drove you to the edge of the map and after that  
I pushed you off just to watch you fall  
You never were the bounce back kind  
But boy this time you've proven me wrong after all  
Now I'm the one who's gonna crawl"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"Kayla! Are you coming?" a little girl said, Ephram assumed it was her sister.  
  
"I'll be there very soon," she said very gently. It took Ephram by surprise. He hadn't ever heard her be so kind. She looked back at him, "Sorry, that's my little sister, I promised her a slumber party tonight," He smiled, again surprised.  
  
"So you DO have a soul," he said jokingly. She smiled.  
  
"I know you love Amy. I see the way you are around her. I envy her, she's so lucky to have someone who cares for her the way you do," Every word out of her mouth became more and more normal and kind.  
  
"Kayla . . . why don't you ever act like this at school?" he asked quietly.  
  
"Like what?" she asked honestly.  
  
"Like you are right now; kind, caring,"  
  
"I've been hurt too many times, Ephram," she explained. "It's much easier to have people hate you and say things in front of you than pretend to like you and say things behind your back," Ephram gulped. He had said things behind her back many times.  
  
"I'm sorry," he spoke gently; she fixed her hair yet again. "You can stop doing that, you know," he said laughing, bringing her hand down from her head. She looked at him in awe. "You know, it doesn't matter what you look like."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
"'Cause it's  
My loss, my lonely  
My mistake, mine only  
Mine all, mine all mine  
And it's my bad, my broken  
All my should haves left unspoken  
Mine all, mine all mine"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"No?" she said innocently.  
  
"Kayla . . . hasn't anyone ever told you that before?" he asked kindly.  
  
"No one other than my family," she closed her eyes. "Thank you," she smiled. She gave him a friendly hug. "Don't give up on Amy, okay? She needs you,"  
  
"I didn't know you still cared about her feelings," he said pulling away from her.  
  
"I care about everyone's feelings," she said barely above a whisper. "Even yours," she said smiling. "Just because she has a new friend doesn't mean you're out of her life, but if you keep acting jealous and irrational, there's a chance you will be, and for good this time," she looked at him then turned away shyly. "What if you and I became good friends? Would Amy have a reason to be jealous?" she prompted him with sincerity.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
"Always thought I'd get to sorry  
But the chance has come and gone  
So if it finds it's way back in  
I'll hold on hold on hold on"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"Not at all," he said nodding, finally understanding.  
  
"Well then you should reevaluate Tommy Callahan. Although he's had some trouble in the past, Amy needs him as a friend, please try to understand that. I've seen them too, you know,"  
  
"And?" he asked hopefully.  
  
"And there's nothing above friendship. Not even the slightest spark," she said, "like you and I,"  
  
"So you're saying you'd like for you and I to be friends?" he asked confused.  
  
"That's what I'm saying," she said nodding.  
  
"And come Monday, when school starts, we'll still be friends? You won't trash talk me or laugh at me, call me dark man?"  
  
"I won't do any of those things if you do one thing for me. Well, it's kind of more for you, well, and Amy, but," she spoke quickly but he interrupted her.  
  
"Kayla," he shook his hands trying to focus on her main point, "spit it out, what is it you're trying to say?"  
  
"Give Amy another chance. Forgive her. Forgive Tommy. Get over whatever your problem is and open your damn eyes.," she paused. She loves you. What more do you want?"  
  
He grinned. "Thank you," he said squeezing her hand, she handed him the phone.  
  
"Call her," she smiled,  
  
"I will, go to your slumber party," he said smiling.  
  
"See you at school?" she said sweetly.  
  
"See you at school," he responded with a nod and a grin, as she walked up the stairs  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"My loss, my lonely  
My mistake, mine only  
Mine all, mine all, mine all mine"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
A/N: Kayla and Ephram as friends, wouldn't that be something! Thank you all SO much for your reviews, they've been flying in like never before and I've never been more thankful. You guys keep me going. I hope you all had a great thanksgiving, I know I did. 


	20. Still

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or its characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 19 uses "Still" by Alanis Morisette  
  
Chapter 19: Still  
  
Amy stared off into the night sky as her cell phone began to ring. Being that it interrupted her thoughts, she didn't take the time to look and see who it was. She cleared her throat before saying a somewhat dry and forced, "hello,"  
  
"Amy, I need you, it's important," the man said on the other end. "Please come over, I wouldn't ask you to do this if it wasn't a big deal,"  
  
"Ephram?!" her voice half perked up, half broke down as tears of confusion continued their unavoidable journey down her cheeks; they had started long before the phone call, and only now, at the thought of Ephram, did they run there course as fast as they could.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"I am the harm which you inflict.  
  
I am your brilliance and frustration.  
  
I'm the nuclear bombs if they're to hit.  
  
I am your immaturity and your indignance.  
  
I am your misfits and your praised.  
  
I am your doubt and your conviction.  
  
I am your charity and your rape.  
  
I am your grasping and expectation."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"No . . ." it said after pausing,  
  
"Tommy," she closed her eyes.  
  
"Sorry to disappoint," he said trying to be sympathetic. "I wish it was him calling you too, instead of me,"  
  
"Why do you sound scared?" she asked, then began remembering he had told her it was an emergency.  
  
"Just please come here,"  
  
"Tommy it's like midnight. I can't afford to leave here, I'll get caught and people will assume I've run AWAY, and well, that's just not something I'd ever do,"  
  
"This isn't something I'd normally ASK you to do,"  
  
"Just tell me what it and maybe I'll come,"  
  
"There isn't time, just please! Please come!" he said now almost crying. He heard her hang up her phone and he closed his eyes.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"I see you averting your glances.  
  
I see you cheering on the war.  
  
I see you ignoring your children,  
  
And I love you still.  
  
And I love you still."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
Amy left a note that she was going to a friend's house and then rushed to her car. She'd only been outside of Tommy's once and she was trying desperately to recall what it looked like and where it had been. He sounded so sad and hurt and worried; the adrenaline pumped so mightily through her that she found his house without much trouble at all. Leaving practically everything in the car she shut the door on her scarf and had to reopen it to release it. Running up to the door, she rang the bell once and waited. She had heard the twisted tales of his family, and seeing that it was midnight, she wasn't about to test his parent's patience.  
  
He ran to the door, she could hear his footsteps pounding down the stairs inside. . . knew he was watching through the window to see when she'd come; prayed she'd come. And now she had.  
  
"Amy," he said, tears falling down his cheek, soaking through his bloodstained t-shirt. "Amy," he began to cry again falling to his knees, grabbing on to her shirt and pulling her down with him, he sobbed.  
  
"Shhh," she said rocking him back and forth. She hadn't ever seen him cry, hadn't ever seen him upset in fact. She didn't know how to act, and so she acted the way she did when Ephram was upset. It was all she knew, "its okay, what's wrong? Shhh," she helped a little bit, but he was so hysterical that she could only do so much. He tried to gather himself then pulled her by the hand into the house. They ran up the stairs, no words spoken, no questions asked.  
  
She began to hear crying, sobbing even, sounds from a little child; a young boy. He heart clenched, tears now flowing down her cheeks too.  
  
"In here," he managed to eek out. He opened the door and she saw the little child whose voice she had heard. *Tommy's little brother* she thought.  
  
"When I got back from your house I came in here and he was bleeding all over the place, he dropped a glass.he shouldn't have even had the glass. . .he dropped it," he started crying again, "and then he put the pieces in his mouth," the sobbing continued to the point where he could hardly breathe, "and he's bleeding and I'm scared, and I don't know what to do. My parents said they were watching him, but they weren't . . ."  
  
"God, take him to the hospital, call an ambulance, anything! He should be in the hospital,"  
  
"He can't go!" he explained rocking the sobbing child back and forth in his arms. She could see that he loved him with his everything.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"I am your joy and your regret.  
  
I am your fury and your elation.  
  
I am your yearning and your sweat.  
  
I am your faithless and your religion."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"Why not?!" she asked crying now too, trying to wipe the blood from the child's mouth with a rag she found next to his bed.  
  
"Because he's not supposed to be here!"  
  
"What do you MEAN he's not supposed to be here? Tommy, nothing matters! He needs help, if he ingested glass . . ." she stopped. "Did your family kidnap him or something?" she asked quietly.  
  
"GOD! NO! It's not like that at ALL!" he said holding the bleeding child to his chest.  
  
"Well then what's the problem? I'm calling the hospital!" she said pulling out her cell phone. She saw that she had missed a call from Ephram. Tommy batted the phone out of her hands and she looked up at him with confusion tracing her eyes.  
  
"Don't call!" he said, trying to wipe the blood away from the little boy.  
  
"Well then I'm calling my father, or Dr. Brown, or someone!"  
  
"No one!"  
  
"Why the HELL not? Do you want this kid to die?" she asked. Tommy covered the little boy's ears. "Sorry," she said realizing the child shouldn't hear that language.  
  
"Because they took him away from me!" He shouted.  
  
"What are you talking about?" she said crying still, rubbing the small boy's head.  
  
"Daddy, help me!" the little boy screamed. Amy stopped breathing.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
"I see you altering history.  
  
I see you abusing the land.  
  
I see you, your selective amnesia,  
  
And I love you still.  
  
And I love you still.  
  
"Haaaaaaaaahh  
  
I see you averting your glimpses.  
  
I see you cheering on the war.  
  
I see you ignoring your children,  
  
And I love you still.  
  
And I love you still.  
  
I see you altering history.  
  
I see you abusing the land.  
  
I see you, your selective amnesia,  
  
I love you still.  
  
And I love you still."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
"Did he say 'daddy' just now?" she asked, color drained from her face.  
  
"He's my son," he said, holding the child closer to him. "His mother, my girlfriend, died during childbirth. They took him away from me when they sent me to rehab. My parents took him in, but the authorities and child services don't know I'm back here. They think I moved somewhere else,"  
  
"I'm calling Dr. Brown," she said, knowing her father would only make the situation worse. She watched father and son crying together; Tommy looked more afraid than she could ever have imagined. "You can trust him, I promise,"  
  
She dialed, her hand shaking. "Dr, Dr. Brown? This is Amy," her voice obviously filled with tears.  
  
"What do you need, sweetheart?" he asked. Amy had come to be like a daughter to him over time.  
  
"I'm at Tommy's. We need your help please don't tell my dad." She said sniffling.  
  
"Are YOU personally in danger?" he asked her calmly.  
  
"No this isn't about me, it's about Tommy's family, just please," she continued.  
  
"Okay I think I know where their house is, I'll be right over,"  
  
"Oh, and Dr. Brown? Please ask Ephram to come, I need him," she politely requsted, "thanks for doing this,"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
"I am your tragedy and your fortune.  
  
I am your crisis and delight.  
  
I am your profits and your prophets.  
  
I am your art, I am your vice.  
  
I am your death and your decisions.  
  
I am your passion and your plight.  
  
I am your sickness and convalescence.  
  
I am your weapons and your light."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"It's okay now, Micah," he said rubbing his cheek. "Daddy's friend Amy's going to take care of everything," At that Amy came over and placed her index finger up to the child's eye, catching the salty drop. She then moved her hand up to Tommy's eye and did the same. He smiled for the first time that night. She kissed Tommy on the cheek as Micah climbed into her lap. For some reason he took a liking to her. Maybe it was because he could tell his dad trusted her.  
  
"Amy?" he said lightly, she guessed he was about two years old. "Do you love my daddy?" he continued though his mouth was still bleeding. Tommy closed his eyes.  
  
"Your daddy and I are best friends, sweetie. And I'm going to be your friend too, I promise," she said sweetly.  
  
There was a knock at the door.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"I see you holding your grudges.  
  
I see you gunning them down.  
  
I see you silencing your sisters,  
  
And I love you still.  
  
And I love you still.  
  
I see you lie to your country.  
  
I see you forcing them out.  
  
I see you blaming each other,  
  
And I love you still.  
  
And I love you still."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
Ephram was standing in front of his father with a worried look on his face when Amy answered the door. He immediately pulled Amy into a tight embrace when he saw her. At that moment he felt as if that was the place he needed to be more than anywhere else. He rubbed her back gently, then moved to her head, running his hand down her hair.  
  
"I'm sorry, baby, I'm so, so sorry. What's wrong?" he asked her as she sobbed into his arms.  
  
"It's Tommy's son," she said and Ephram pulled far enough back to see in her eyes but still held her. She had said this for the first time, not only causing Ephram to be taken by surprise but herself taken aback as well.  
  
"His what?" he said breathlessly as Tommy came down the stairs holding Micah in his arms. The Brown men's jaws dropped.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"Haaaaaaaahh  
  
I see you holding your grudges.  
  
I see you gunning them down.  
  
I see you silencing your sisters,  
  
I love you still.  
  
I love you still.  
  
I see you lie to your country.  
  
I see you forcing them out.  
  
I see you blaming each other.  
  
I love you still.  
  
I love you still.  
  
I see you." 


	21. Wind's Nocturne

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 20 uses "Wind's Nocturne" from Lunar Silver Star  
  
Chapter 20: Wind's Nocturne  
  
"Dr. Brown," Tommy cried as he ran up to him with Micah still resting safely in his arms, "he swallowed glass. . .my parents. . . and I'm not a bad father!" he tried to explain. Dr. Brown took the small boy from his father's arms and carried him to the couch.  
  
Ephram held Amy as his father inspected Micah Callahan. So much was happening at once; so many stars colliding that neither one knew existed. He ran his hands up and down her arms, sending calming waves through her body. Ephram's gaze turned to Tommy. He viewed him differently now, with more respect, more understanding; funny how things can change in a matter of seconds.  
  
Tommy sat next to Andy Brown as he opened Micah's mouth gently and inspected the wounds. "Well, son, he's going to be just fine, he's got a few cuts in his mouth that will need stitches. However we do still need to take him to the hospital for them to examine his stomach and throat for cuts. Internal hemorrhages are very dangerous, and while I don't think he consumed enough to cause anything like that, we can't let it go," the bleeding and subsided as Dr. Brown carefully stitched up the wounds in his mouth.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"Wishing on a dream that seems far off  
  
Hoping it will come today  
  
Into the starlit night  
  
Foolish dreamers turn their gaze  
  
Waiting on a shootin' star  
  
But"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"That's not possible," Tommy started, dreading having to explain it all again. "He's not supposed to be under my care. Ever since the rehab situation they've deemed me an 'unfit father,' my parents have custody of him but he knows I'm is real dad. No one knows he's actually my son. They think my parents adopted him from another state. He's not supposed to be with me,"  
  
"Well they won't know he's your son. I'd think he's a lot older and looks different than when that all took place," Andy reassured him.  
  
"The name . . . they'll know the name," he said now tear-free for the first time since Amy had first come over. "This is EVERWOOD, Dr. Brown, there aren't many people here, you know," he reminded him.  
  
"I have an idea," Ephram spoke up. Tommy was shocked that there was such a caring sound to his voice; much different than just hours earlier.  
  
Ephram's idea was a big one, one that would probably get a few of them in deep if anyone ever found out the truth. It wouldn't play out until they got to the hospital, but when it would, it'd be the trickiest thing anyone in Everwood could ever even tried to pull off.  
  
"So we're going to get a flight for life, but request another hospital than Denver?" Tommy asked. This was only HALF of the plan.  
  
"I don't think flight for life really allows you to request. You just go to whichever hospital's closest," Amy said.  
  
"Yes, that's right Amy, and that is why we're driving to Wyoming," Dr. Brown said. "Micah will be fine for a few hours; he just can't go days,"  
  
They drove to a remote location in Wyoming, saying they had been visiting a friend's house, just left, and noticed Micah was bleeding. So far the plan was going decently. When the helicopter came, Tommy wasn't allowed to ride in it. It would blow the master plan that Ephram had come up with. Instead Amy and Dr. Brown rode with Micah. Dr. Brown called Dr. Abbott to tell him what was going on, and not to panic about Amy; that nothing that was about to happen was real.  
  
"What do you MEAN my daughter's on a flight for life copter?!" Harold screamed.  
  
Bright was listening in the background, "What?! Amy's hurt?" he said panicky.  
  
"No she's fine," Dr. Brown said hearing the panic in Bright's voice. "We have a . . . situation. It involves a young Callahan, not Tommy. I promise I'll explain better when this all works out,"  
  
"No, I have a right to know where my daughter is and why she's there, Andrew!" he yelled into the phone, knowing it wasn't convincing. Nothing convinced Dr. Brown when he was determined.  
  
"Okay, so bye Harold," he said hanging up the phone. Amy sighed.  
  
"Dr. Brown? You think this will really work?" she asked nervously.  
  
"I certainly hope so. I'm not usually for lying, but I understand the circumstance. Your friend Tommy doesn't need to be in anymore trouble,"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"What if that star is not to come?  
  
Will their dreams fade to nothing?  
  
When the horizon darkens most  
  
We all need to believe there is hope"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
Ephram and Tommy were in charge of driving the car they had taken Wyoming. They were to eventually arrive at the hospital the copter was going to, as Dr. Brown had phoned to let them know. For awhile, only silence, but after something as traumatic and daring as what just had happened, they felt as if they had bonded.  
  
"Abby," Tommy said as he smiled. "She was beautiful," a tear running down his cheek. "God I loved her," Ephram became confused because Tommy had told him he hadn't ever had love during truth or dare, but listened still, "we were childhood friends, did most everything together." Ephram began seeing how familiar this story seemed . . . it was just like Amy and Colin.  
  
"We started dating when we were fifteen," he continued, barely being able to say the words, but somehow needing to, "and one night, when we were camping, we got a little carried away and ended up sleeping together," He took a deep breath.  
  
"We were the typical high school sophomores, always wanting to have fun. She never drank while she was pregnant with Micah. . . Micah, she loved that name ever since we were little." He smiled again, "and while I loved her with my whole soul, she never once told me she loved me," he said face now going pale. "Sure, somewhere I knew she did, but all I ever wanted was to hear those words,"  
  
Ephram almost started crying at this story. Maybe had really had misjudged Tommy, as Amy had said. Tommy continued, "As the days drew nearer to her delivery, she grew very ill. I spent every second with her in the hospital. The last thing I said to her was 'I love you," and the last thing she said before she passed was, "we'll call him Micah," he sniffled a bit.  
  
"I'm sorry, man." Ephram said sincerely and reached one hand out to pat him on the shoulder.  
  
"You lost your mom, right?" he asked, tears now fading.  
  
"Yes," Ephram said and closed his eyes. "It was the hardest day of my life, I'll never forget it,"  
  
"Losing people we love . . . it just doesn't make sense," Tommy said as if he were reflecting on the story he had just told. He gazed out the window. The sun was rising.  
  
"No, it doesn't, but as much as it hurts, it makes us stronger. Mom's never really gone, she's with me everyday, she's in everything I do. I have a feeling Abby is with you too," he said smiling.  
  
"I see her everyday in my son's eyes," he said eyes brimming with tears once again. "And so nothing can happen to him. He's the one thing that connects Abby and me."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"Is an angel watching closely over me?  
  
Can there be a guiding light I've yet to see?  
  
I know my heart should guide me but  
  
There's a hole within my soul  
  
What will fill this emptiness inside of me"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"It's going to work out," he reassured him. "Listen, I know this may not be the right time or anything, but I'm sorry for giving you all that shit about Amy. I get carried away. I guess when she told me you guys connected it was just too much for me. I understand why she needs you and why you need her now. You two have a lot in common, and who am I to take that away from you?"  
  
"Thank you, Ephram. I never meant to make things bad between you two," he started.  
  
"I think I'M the one that did that," Ephram said ashamed. "But none of that matters now, if you can forgive me, of course,"  
  
"After what you and your father are doing for my son today? Absolutely," he nodded.  
  
They pulled into the hospital parking lot, half exhausted, half wide awake. While Dr. Brown had kept close watch over Micah and kept them notified of what was going on from the helicopter, he still couldn't wait to hold his son again. He knew Micah would be okay in the copter because of Amy. He had taken so well to her, and she to him.  
  
The next few hours would be very confusing for Micah Callahan, for he would have to assume a new last name, among other things.  
  
"Ready for this?" Ephram asked Amy, and she squeezed his hand in response. She held onto one of Ephram's hands and leaned over to kiss Tommy on the cheek, "I promise you," she whispered in his ear. He nodded through tears. Tommy knew what she meant. She turned back to Ephram, who was smiling at his girlfriend as if seeing her for the first time. They walked hand and hand through the emergency room doors.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"Am I to be satisfied without knowing  
  
I wish then for a chance to see  
  
Now all I need (desperately),  
  
Is my star to come..."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
A/N: Thanks for the reviews ^_^ 


	22. Always

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 21 uses "Always" by Irving Berlin  
  
Chapter 21: Always  
  
"Alright, we've got Micah Brown in room 213," a nurse said as she came out into the waiting room. This was Ephram and Amy's cue, according to the plan. They took a deep breath and stood up,  
  
"That's our child," Amy spoke, her voice shaking. Andy Brown closed his eyes in the distance; it was odd to hear these two very young people saying something such as that, but he knew it was necessary. "Am I allowed to see my son now?" she continued, feeling as if her voice would fail her at any moment. Ephram wrapped his arm around her and looked at the ground nervously,  
  
"How is he? Have they x-rayed him?" he added.  
  
"Micah was under great care before this, whoever did the stitching did a marvelous job, and luckily enough there were no damages to him internally," a doctor said coming out of the room holding a chart. "Sir, are you the grandfather?" he asked looking at Andrew Brown. It was amazing, that while he was once on the cover of TIME, they didn't recognize him. He was very fortunate, in this case at least.  
  
"Yes that's right, I'm Ephram's father," he said standing up and walking toward them.  
  
"How old are you two, if I might ask?" the doctor said, really stepping out of line. He had no right.  
  
"We're 18," Ephram said quickly, lying as if nothing were wrong. Andy had to fight back a chuckle.  
  
"You look very young . . ." the doctor continued, "Certainly Micah must have been a mistake," he said slowly.  
  
"Excuse me, Dr, but I don't think any of this is your business. Now our son was hurt, we want to see him. It shouldn't matter how Micah came about or how old we were. And in my mind, anything as sweet and gentle as that little boy in there," Ephram said now pointing, "could never be a mistake," Amy smiled as Ephram started walking toward Micah's hospital room.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"Everything went wrong,  
  
And the whole day long  
  
I'd feel so blue.  
  
For the longest while  
  
I'd forget to smile,  
  
Then I met you.  
  
Now that my blue days have passed,  
  
Now that I've found you at last"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
Meanwhile Tommy waited outside the hospital building. It was torture not knowing how his son was doing. He hadn't gotten any updates for a few hours because cell phones weren't allowed to be used in the hospital, and Amy and Ephram had to stay up there at all times since they were the "parents." He paced back and forth, feeling almost as horrible as the day Abby had died. Back then he was happy to have a new son but he never could've imagined how much he'd love him.  
  
Abby's death had sent him into a downward spiral; there was no question in his mind. The month after she died he was overwhelmed with grief, pressure to care for a new son, and the expectation to be a good student in high school. The parties he went to with his friends, when his parents were fighting or yelling at him, the drugs he took while at them, his infant child, crying, waiting at home. . . What he hadn't told Amy, but figured she probably assumed now, was that his parents were fighting about what to do with Micah. While they knew their son loved him because he loved Abby, he just wasn't assuming the responsibility that he should. Once he fell into his drug and alcohol addictions the answer was simple, the decision made for him: social services took his child away. Having fallen in love with Micah already, his parents waited the minimal amount of time they could before adopting him, while Tommy was away at rehab.  
  
Maybe that's why he and Amy connected so deeply. It was as if the depression she was going through when they met almost matched what he used to have. Both of their loves died, only he was left with a child. You see, Tommy never got a bad reputation as being a teen father because no one in Everwood KNEW that he was Micah's father. As he had explained before, they all assumed the child was from out of state since the child was so young when he was taken away.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"I'll be loving you always  
  
With a love that's true always.  
  
When the things you've planned  
  
Need a helping hand,  
  
I will understand always.  
  
Always."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
Tommy's pacing and train of thought was interrupted by Dr. Brown exiting the sliding hospital doors. He ran up to him, asking about his son's condition and about the plan,  
  
"How'd it go? How is he? Is he asking for me?" he spat out quickly, somehow expecting Andrew Brown to be capable of answering all three questions at once.  
  
"It went well, he's fine, no internal hemorrhaging," he smiled, "he's doing well adapting to his 'new parents,' because I told him we're playing a game." Tommy smiled. "If he plays along he wins, and if he wins he gets to come play with Delia sometime,"  
  
"Oh he'd love that. He's so young but he loves everyone, thank you, Dr." he said shaking his hand.  
  
"I'd like to talk to you later, if that's alright with you," Andy said softly, "It's nothing bad, I just have a few concerns,"  
  
"I'd be glad to," he said as he sat back down on a bench. Dr. Brown reentered the building, and Tommy had to go back to feeling left out. It was for his son's own good, but it still killed him.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"Days may not be fair always,  
  
That's when I'll be there always.  
  
Not for just an hour,  
  
Not for just a day,  
  
Not for just a year,  
  
But always."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"Mommy!" Micah screamed as Amy and Ephram entered the room. Her eyebrows rose because he was playing along so well. She smiled, and somewhere in her stomach she began to feel different; having someone call you 'mommy' was certainly a powerful thing, and even though it was pretend, the situation called for it to be real. They had to play things out in this way because the door was open and the doctor standing practically in the doorframe to hear the conversation and interactions. It was as if he was suspicious.  
  
"Hi sweetie, how are you feeling?" she asked kissing his forehead.  
  
"Okay," he said laughing as she tickled his toes. Ephram was mesmerized at how well this was going and how sweet Amy looked playing a mother. He had to snap into his role too.  
  
"You get to go home in a few hours, what would you like to do when we get there?" Ephram asked squeezing his hand and then Amy's with his other.  
  
"Eat ice cream!" Micah yelled.  
  
"Oh, sweetheart, I think we have to wait a little while with the ice cream, your tummy's going to be pretty sore for awhile," Amy said softly.  
  
"Glass tastes icky," he said sadly, tears brimming. Being inexperienced "parents," they weren't able to tell if he was crying because he couldn't have ice cream or because he thought they were angry with him for swallowing the glass.  
  
"Yes, glass is definitely icky. If you see it, don't touch it, okay? Let your mom and I take care of it for you, just ask," Ephram said and Amy smiled.  
  
Ephram felt both horrible and wonderful about this whole thing. While it was playing out beautifully, he had a feeling that Micah acting as if they were his parents would affect him later. It was one thing to play and make believe, but a completely other to have to do it for a doctor and make it believable. It was amazing how capable this child was of pretending.  
  
"Okay Daddy," he said, "I won't," the young boy smiled. Amy's heart began to melt. This was beginning to be a lot to deal with. And while she didn't all together hate the idea of one day being a mother to Ephram's child, she was glad that they didn't have a kid right now. It was a lot of work and this was only one day. Tommy became a hero in her eyes that day; In Ephram's eyes too.  
  
"We love you," Amy whispered in the boy's ear. She surprised herself with almost feeling as if what she said was real.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
"I'll be loving you, oh always  
  
With a love that's true always.  
  
When the things you've planned  
  
Need a helping hand,  
  
I will understand always.  
  
Always."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````  
  
Micah went back to sleep for a few hours while the hospital processed the papers. Amy and Ephram emerged from his room to see Dr. Brown asleep. Truth be told, the "parents" were worn out too; but they weren't able to sleep until later, when this was all worked out.  
  
"Amy," Ephram said quietly so not wake up his father, "want to get some fresh air?" obviously meaning they'd go speak to Tommy.  
  
"Yes, that sounds really good right now," she replied and they walked arm and arm through the hospital halls. Once they were away from the main desk and no one could hear them anymore, the continued their conversation,  
  
"Mommy," he said chuckling, elbowing her lightly in jest.  
  
"What's so funny?" she asked smiling, "it was sweet,"  
  
"He's a cute kid, but he's a lot of responsibility," he added.  
  
"Yes, which makes me think the pieces to this mystery puzzle don't fit together very well at all."  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked, stopping so they could finish their conversation without reaching the doors to exit.  
  
"Tommy said his parents weren't watching Micah when he was at my house, but he thought they were, right?" she asked sitting down on one of the uncomfortable hospital waiting chairs, whispering, a look of intensity in her eyes.  
  
"Yes," he said confused at first, but then caught on. "But if they loved him so much to adopt him then wouldn't they take better care of him if he was their child?"  
  
"Exactly, something about the Callahan family is suspicious," she said barely above a whisper. Ephram kissed her, breaking her thoughts. She responded and smiled as he pulled away. "Why'd you stop?" she asked breathlessly.  
  
"I don't know," he said kissing her again. An elderly lady in a wheel chair rolled up next to them, unnoticed.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"Days may not be fair always,  
  
That's when I'll be there always.  
  
Not for just an hour,  
  
Not for just a day,  
  
Not for just a year,  
  
But always."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"Hey! None of your shenanigans!" the old woman spoke with a very dry, grainy, voice, "You teens are all the same," she mumbled as she rolled away.  
  
They laughed. "What just happened here?" Ephram asked.  
  
"I think we're offending people," she said.  
  
"You can offend me later," he said winking,  
  
"Be careful, I might just take you up on that," she said giving him a quick kiss. They walked outside to see Tommy pacing again. Ephram shook his hand,  
  
"It worked," he said raising his eyebrows.  
  
"Thank you guys so much," he said hugging them both. "Has he asked for me?" he said hopefully.  
  
"No . . . ." Amy reluctantly responded as the expression on Tommy's face dropped, "but he's been doing a wonderful job of playing along,"  
  
"I'm just worried something will still go wrong, we've been so lucky this far,"  
  
"Nothing will," Ephram reassured him.  
  
"Yeah, if anything goes wrong it'll be at my house when I get home." Amy said, realizing she was in for it.  
  
"My dad promised to explain," Ephram said rubbing her back.  
  
"I know," her voice squeaked with nerves.  
  
"If anyone's going to get it when they get home it's going to be me," Tommy said closing his eyes. "I really don't want to go home tonight,"  
  
Tommy knew that what was to come at home would be hurtful. While he technically should be the one that's angry because they weren't taking care of his child like they promised, that excuse never worked in the past. Unfortunately it wouldn't work this time either.  
  
Amy hugged him.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"Not for just an hour,  
  
Not for just a day,  
  
Not for just a year,  
  
But always." 


	23. All you wanted

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 22 uses "All you wanted" by Michelle Branch  
  
Chapter 22: All you wanted  
  
"Daddy," Micah screamed in happiness when they were finally all back in the car and on their way home. He nestled into his father's arms, and Tommy's facial expression showed nothing but honest affection and concern for his small boy. Ephram and Amy had taken a back seat in all of this now, and that's the way they had wanted it to be. Andy sat in the front, driving home with all 4 other passengers starting to fall asleep. In the rearview mirror he could see his son's eyes closed, head resting against Amy's. He smiled, happy that finally Ephram could find happiness. The drive was a long one, and with everyone asleep except for him, he didn't want to turn on the radio. He cracked a window to get some air and hoped he could stay awake for the duration of the drive.  
  
They arrived back in Everwood at around 3 that afternoon. Harold Abbott had bags under his eyes from lying awake all night worrying about, and was now sitting on his front porch ever since he had received the call that they were getting back into town. Andy had intentions to speak with Dr. Abbott, but first they would need to drop Tommy off at his house. Having no knowledge of the less than pleasant conditions in the Callahan household, Andy Brown let the young boy and his father go in without being accompanied. Before he exited the car though, he turned to Amy and Ephram, who were starting to wake up, and thanked them. Amy began to show signs of concern when she realized his parents were home, but he hushed them away by telling her not to worry. Yeah, like that would stop her.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"I wanted to be like you  
  
I wanted everything  
  
So I tried to be like you  
  
And I got swept away  
  
I didn't know that it was so cold  
  
And you needed someone  
To show you the way  
  
So I took your hand and we figured out  
  
That when the tide comes  
  
I'd take you away"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````  
  
As Andy continued next to the Abbott house, he decided it was best if he talked to Harold alone. He was quiet sure that Dr. Abbott wouldn't be thrilled to talk to him, and even less enthused that his daughter wasn't there to explain herself, but it was better this way. So, Andy dropped Ephram and Amy off at the Brown house, which was Empty because Delia was with Madison.  
  
"Behave," Andy screamed out the car window, then rolled it up because of the cold.  
  
"You bet," Ephram shouted back waving. Amy smiled. He now turned to her as his dad drove away. "I do believe this is the first time we've been completely alone since the cabin," he said, raising his eyebrows suggestively. She hits him playfully and then takes his arm as they walk into the house.  
  
"Hey, is it okay if I just lie down for a few minutes, I'm really beat," she explained as she sat on the couch. She was disappointed in herself for not taking this opportunity of being alone with Ephram more seriously, but she was just so worn out.  
  
"You can go up and lay in my bed if you want," he said seriously, no trace of innuendo in his voice. She smiled.  
  
"That sounds a lot more comfortable," she replied and he followed her upstairs to help her get comfortable.  
  
"How long do you think they'll be talking?" she asked as Ephram turned down the covers for her to get under. She slipped in, feeling the soft, warm flannel sheets.  
  
"A couple hours most likely, you know them. First they argue, sometimes go for a drink, that one time they gambled," he said eyes widening, "hell who knows how long?" He kissed her forehead and turned his light off, the sat in the chair by his desk. About ten minutes of silence passed, both assumed the other was asleep and didn't want to disturb them.  
  
"Ephram?" Amy finally said softly in case he WAS asleep.  
  
"Hm?" he replied disgruntled.  
  
"That can't be very comfortable," she whispered, squinting through the darkness to see his head flat on the desk, "you want the bed? I'll sleep on the floor or something,"  
  
"Um. . . who?" he asked, making no sense at all, and causing Amy to go into a bout of giggles that eventually did wake him up. "What are you laughing about?" he asked, completely unaware of their conversation minutes earlier.  
  
"You just look really uncomfortable," she reminded him, he still didn't get it. He stood up, stretched, and walked over to his bed where his girlfriend now lay. He sat down next to her and held her hand.  
  
"I could be wrong, Ms. Abbott, but I'm pretty sure you made a promise to offend me while we were in the hospital," he said winking. Amy didn't know where all this was coming from all the sudden but she didn't mind.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"If you want to  
  
I can save you  
  
I can take you away from here  
  
So lonely inside  
  
So busy out there  
  
And all you wanted  
  
was somebody who cares"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"Hm, I did, did I?" She played ignorant, enjoying the fact she could toy with him.  
  
"And technically, correct me if I'm wrong, of course," he said looking slyly at her, "we DID already have a child," he said moving in to kiss her.  
  
"What?!" she laughed playfully, slapping him lightly again.  
  
"Oh, it's true," he said kissing her once, then looking into her eyes again.  
  
"And you're planning on offending me how?" she asked kissing him back.  
  
"Oh, I think you're the one doing the offending," he said kissing her more. Things became heated and soon they were faced with a decision they weren't sure they were ready to make.  
  
Meanwhile, Dr. Abbott and Dr. Brown were sitting in the Abbott's living room discussing the day's events, their children, and of course, Tommy Callahan.  
"Well we ALL have problems, Andy, but you don't see me becoming a drug addict because of it," Harold said seriously.  
  
"You aren't listening to me at all," Dr. Brown replied, trying to calm him down by pushing him lightly back to where he was. "Tommy Callahan has a son,"  
  
"A son? WONDERFUL! My daughter certainly needs a child in her life, in addition to her drug addict boyfriend," he shouted sarcastically. Bright and Rose entered the room, causing more problems and explanations for Andrew Brown and prolonging the time before he'd get home.  
  
"What? Amy's . . . pregnant?" Rose said looking horrified.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"I'm sinking slowly  
  
So hurry hold me  
  
Your hand is all I have to keep me hanging on  
  
Please can you tell me  
  
So I can finally see  
  
Where you go when you're gone  
  
If you want to  
  
I can save you  
  
I can take you away from here  
  
So lonely inside  
  
So busy out there  
  
And all you wanted  
  
was somebody who cares"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"I KNEW that Tommy guy was bad," Bright said punching a pillow,  
  
"No, no, Amy's NOT pregnant," Dr. Brown said, "Everyone sit down, I'm going to explain this all at once."  
  
"Ephram, wait," Amy said nervously as they lay on his bed now. He listened.  
  
"What is it?" he asked, obviously okay with the situation.  
  
"I don't know if we should do this. I mean, look what happened with Tommy and Abby," she said biting her lip. Ephram lay back down, resting his head on the pillow. "I know that the chances of that are slim, because you've got protection and everything, but still," she said with more seriousness.  
  
"Okay," he said stopping. "You're right," now sighing.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said sadly, "I . . . I'm just not ready for this or responsibility. We're only sixteen, you know?"  
  
"Yes, its fine," he said stroking her cheek. He kissed her once then tried to go to sleep. Holding her in his arms, he felt like nothing could possibly go wrong. HE was wrong, very wrong.  
  
After Andy had explained everything in depth to the Abbotts, they decided to ease up on Tommy but still remain cautious. They were also quiet relieved, surprisingly enough, to hear that Amy and Ephram were in a relationship; it meant Tommy wouldn't have a chance to mess up Amy's life.  
  
"Thanks for your time," Andy said, "I just wanted you to understand and know that Amy isn't purposely defying you in anyway, she's just trying to help her friend out,"  
  
"As long as you can promise us that she's not in danger," Rose said.  
  
"I'll do my best," he said walking out of the house.  
  
"What does THAT mean?" Bright asked as Rose and Harold looked at each other nervously.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"All you wanted was somebody who cares  
  
If you need me you know I'll be there  
  
Oh, yeah  
  
If you want to  
  
I can save you  
  
I can take you away from here  
  
So lonely inside  
  
So busy out there  
  
And all you wanted  
  
was somebody who cares"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
Dr. Brown picked up Delia from Nina's and they returned home to a completely silent house. This worried and contented Andy as he made his way up the stairs. He closed his eyes before knocking on his son's door. *I swear to God, Ephram* he thought as he knocked three times. There was no answer, forcing him to open the door himself. His eyes still closed, he hoped he wouldn't find anything going on that shouldn't be between his son and Amy Abbott. Opening one eye, then the other he found two unclothed teens lying next to each other, asleep. Both horrified and shocked, his mouth started screaming before his brain could formulate the words,  
  
"NOOO, NOOO NOOO NOOO!" was all he could come up with at first. Ephram moved around groggily, figuring he was having one of those horrible dreams again where his Dad had burned dinner again.  
  
"EPHRAM . . . AMY. . . WHAT . . . WHAT?" he continued, face beet red.  
  
"It's just dinner Dad, it's not like it hasn't happened before," Ephram mumbled half asleep.  
  
This time the bizarre combination of Andy screaming nonsense and Ephram's half asleep rambling woke Amy up. Her eyes shot open and she immediately screamed, pulling a sheet over her and poking Ephram rapidly. Her cheeks turned bright red.  
  
"Ephram," she said shaking him, "Ephram, Ephram, wake UP!"  
  
"Hm? Oooo, Amy," he said pulling her into a kiss. She pulled away quickly, causing Ephram to become confused.  
  
"WHAT IS GOING ON?!" Andy yelled, having figured out what he had been trying to say.  
  
"Oh GOD!" Ephram said pulling the sheet over him too now. Delia walked in briefly after and just started screaming at the top of her lungs.  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" Delia squealed as she dropped her cookie.  
  
"Will you STOP?" Ephram said covering his ears, "Everyone OUT, right NOW!"  
  
"Ephram . . ."  
  
"OH I DON'T THINK SO!" Andy yelled, "Delia, go to your room," he said gently.  
  
"AHHHHHHHH" she continued.  
  
"Delia, your ROOM," he said so she could hear him. She listened, but distant screams were still heard. Andy quickly closed his eyes, then opened them. Amy had pulled the covers over her head and was sitting there nervously.  
  
"Its okay, Amy, we have nothing to be ashamed of," he said patting her back through the sheet. "I swear to God nothing happened, Dad."  
  
"I can't believe you TWO . . . after hearing about TOMMY and Micah . . ." Amy removed the sheet and spoke,  
  
"Ephram's telling the truth. Nothing happened. We stopped BECAUSE of Tommy and Micah, I promise."  
  
Andy sighed, hoping they were telling the truth.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"Please can you tell me  
  
So I can finally see  
  
Where you go when you're gone" 


	24. The Story of My Old Man

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 23 uses "The Story of my Old Man," by Good Charlotte. This chapter isn't a happy one and deals with serious issues, so please remember this while reading. It works out for the best, but unfortunately not all situations like this do.  
  
Chapter 23: The story of my Old Man  
  
"Now when we walk upstairs, Micah let me do all the talking. I'll let you know when it's okay to say something to grandma and grandpa, okay?" Tommy said, sweetly instructing the small brown haired boy. Micah nodded, already working on staying quiet. Hand and hand, father and son walked reluctantly up the stairs. Micah never really was exposed to his grandparents yelling at his dad, so Tommy hoped today would follow suit.  
  
Slipping into Micah's room, Tommy tucked him into bed, gave him a kiss on the cheek, and left the door open a crack, just as he liked. "Night, Daddy," he whispered, being afraid to say it any louder.  
  
"Goodnight, I love you," he said now walking into his parent's room. It was only three in the afternoon, but he hadn't seen them downstairs and they were no doubt waiting for his return. He knocked twice and eventually his mom came to the door. As always, she looked stressed out,  
  
"Thomas, where have you been?"  
  
"Where's Dad?" he asked looking around nervously, hoping that maybe his Dad was at work or out for awhile. He pushed the door open a little more and turned his gaze side to side, relieved to not find him.  
  
"Oh I'm right here," a grumbling voice said as he exited the master bathroom. "Hoping I was gone?" he said seriously.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"I don't know too much  
  
Too much about my old man  
  
I know he walked right out the door  
  
We never saw him again  
  
Last I heard he was at the bar  
  
Doing himself in  
  
I know I've got that same disease  
  
I guess I got that from him"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"That IS typically what I hope for, yes," Tommy said not looking his father in the eye. What Roger and Thomas Callahan had for a relationship wasn't in the slightest way similar to Andy and Ephram. It was true, the Browns didn't always see eye to eye, but at least Andy reprimanded out of love and concern. Roger yelled and punished for fun.  
  
"Don't start with me," Roger said walking closer to him, "you think I don't know you hate me?"  
  
"Roger," Faith Callahan interjected, foreseeing and discouraging her husband's behavior, "let him talk, he looks upset," Tommy nodded politely at his mother. Faith and Thomas had an okay relationship as was, if fact, if it weren't for Roger maybe they could've been closer. He imagined it was hard for her to have to choose sides, what with her husband always on her back about something and her son usually the reason why. Not to say that she didn't love her husband, she just didn't love the way he treated their family.  
  
"Well then talk, I haven't got all day," he said annoyed.  
  
"I was with my son," he started pacing around the room,  
  
"Stand still boy!" his dad reprimanded.  
  
"Why? Why should I have to stand still? Because you said so? Well, that's not good enough anymore Dad, I'm turning eighteen in a few days and you know what? I won't be here anymore."  
  
"Watch. Your. Mouth," his father said, anger becoming fiercer with every word.  
  
"Why weren't you watching him?!" Tommy spoke louder, pointing in the direction of his son's room. He then lowered his voice so not to make it audible to Micah. "I came home, expecting to find him asleep, it was 11 pm for god's sake, and he was sitting there putting glass in his mouth!" he started to gasp for breath.  
  
Faith gasped, placing her hand over her mouth and sitting on the bed to listen to the rest. Roger turned his gaze away from his son and began to look out their bedroom window.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````  
  
"This is the story of my old man(man)  
  
Just like his father before him  
  
I'm telling you,  
  
Do anyhting you can  
  
So you don't end up just like them,  
  
Like them  
  
Monday he woke up and hated life  
  
Drank until Wednesday and left his wife  
  
Thursday thru Saturday lost everything  
  
Woke up on Sunday miserable again"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````  
Bottom of Form  
  
"He," Tommy breathed, "is MY son!" He began to walk over to his mom to sit next to her on the bed, "And just because you adopted him doesn't mean I'm not his father,"  
  
"You're nothing but a drug consuming alcoholic!" his father felt the rage boiling up in him, "You're no father! You couldn't be! Not the way you carry yourself,"  
  
Tommy now stood up, trying to remain calm so Micah couldn't hear, "I am a better father than you'll EVER BE!" He said now crying, "You say I'm all those horrible things, you say I can't make anything of myself because of what I did in the past. Well listen to me now. I KNOW that what I did was wrong when I was 15. You think I'd do it again? You think I tried to be come addicted?"  
  
"YES!" His dad screamed, "YES, I DO. YOU ALWAYS WANTED ATTENTION. That was your way to get it,"  
  
"Roger, lower your voice," Faith reminded him, face in her hands.  
  
"NO Dad! I just expected to be paid attention TO. Just even a little sign that you loved me would've been fine! You're the complete OPPOSITE of what I'm going to be as a father, of what I already AM as a father," he said through gritted teeth, spit flying out in anger and resentment.  
  
"Don't you EVER speak to me that way!" Roger yelled coming closer to him.  
  
"You weren't watching MY son, the little boy you claimed you loved enough to adopt,"  
  
"That was your mother's idea, to me that little snot bag is nothing but a spawn of the son that's disappointed me his ENTIRE LIFE,"  
  
Faith burst into tears now and screamed at her husband, "Shut up, Roger! Would you just knock it off?! Can't you see that Thomas is trying to be the best father he can? He KNOWS he made wrong decisions; he's not doing those things anymore. Why can't you just accept it?"  
  
"Its okay mom, let dad and I handle this," Tommy said helping his mother into Micah's room to make sure he was still asleep. "Here," he said giving her a piece of tissue, "dry up your tears so Micah doesn't worry if he is awake," he kissed his mom on the cheek, and she smiled.  
  
"I love you, you know," she said.  
  
"I know, I love you too," he said as he went back to confront his father.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"I remember baseball games  
  
And working on the car  
  
He told that he loved me  
  
And that I would go far  
  
Showed me how to work hard and  
  
Stick up for myself  
  
I wish he wasn't too hard  
  
To listen to himself  
  
This is the story of my old man  
  
Just like his father before him  
  
I'm telling you,  
  
Do anything you can  
  
So you don't end up just like them,  
  
Like them"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"What is it you REALLY want to say dad?" he asked now trying to stay calm. "Are you embarrassed that you've spent your entire life criticizing me; that maybe, in the two, almost three short years that I've been a father I've beat every expectation you've had for me?" He was now inches from his father.  
  
Roger lifted his hand and hit him across the face, causing Tommy to fall backwards onto the floor. When he looked up he saw his father standing there smiling, as if he were proud of what he had done. Tommy caught the blood dripping from his mouth in his hand as he began to stand up.  
  
"Well come on, aren't you gonna fight back?" he said, encouraging his son.  
  
"No, there's never a reason to hit," he said starting to walk out of the room, "I will never HIT my son."  
  
Those were the last words Thomas Callahan spoke to his father before he left.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
Monday he woke up and hated life  
  
Drank until Wednesday and left his wife  
  
Thursday thru Saturday lost everything  
  
Woke up on Sunday miserable again  
  
Again  
  
Again  
  
Uh"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
He walked into the bathroom, trying to wipe his face up so it would look presentable and not scary to Micah, and then made his way into his son's room. Micah was sitting up now and Faith was telling him a story,  
  
"Daddy took you to his work to show you off and ALL the girls thought you were so HANDSOME," she explained in a sweet voice.  
  
"When I was born?" he asked.  
  
"Yes, about 3 weeks after," she said and smiled, now noticing Tommy standing in the background. Her mouth fell partially open when she saw that he looked hurt, but said nothing.  
  
"Daddy!" Micah said excitedly. Tommy kissed his mom on the cheek and then whispered in her ear,  
  
"The day after tomorrow, when I turn eighteen, Micah and I are leaving. I can't have my son living in a house where violence is tolerated," she cringed and whispered back,  
  
"Where will you go?"  
  
"I don't know, but I have a few days to work that out," he said telling her he loved her and walking her out of the room so he could have some alone time with his son.  
  
"Micah," he started as he sat on the bed next to the small boy. "You and I are going to move into a new house pretty soon, won't that be fun?"  
  
"Away from grandma and grandpa?" he asked sadly.  
  
"Yes, Daddy's pretty grown up now and you and I can start making a life of our own,"  
  
"But my friends," he said, "And my birthday . . ."  
  
"Oh, your birthday won't change," he said smiling, Its next month, and it'll be the best party ever. We can still invite your friends,"  
  
"Okay Daddy," he said hugging him.  
  
"Alright, you go back to sleep, you've had a long couple of days," he smiled, pulling the blankets over him, "I love you,"  
  
"Love you too, Dad," he said as he closed his eyes.  
  
Tommy left the room to enter his own. He paced around, tears streaming down his cheeks, wondering what to do next. His eyes fell upon a picture of him and Abby when they were younger. "Oh Abby, what should I do? I wish you were here to help me. I wish you could see him, he's so handsome, he has your eyes,"  
  
He put the picture down, attempting to shoo away his tears. He lay on his bed and looked at the picture frame next to him on the shelf. It was a picture of him and Amy. He smiled. He reached for the phone, knowing that while his first best friend wasn't available to talk to because she was in heaven, his second one never failed.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"Someday he'll wish that he made things right  
  
[Made things right]  
  
Long for his family and miss his wife  
  
[Miss his wife]  
  
Remember the days he had eveything  
  
[Everything]  
  
Now he's alone and  
  
Miserable again" 


	25. The trouble with love is

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 24 uses "The trouble with love is" by Kelly Clarkson  
  
Chapter 24: The trouble with love is  
  
After Ephram and Amy had served up an explanation for why they were laying around without clothes on, Andy was still very upset He sat there, face in his hands, sighing.  
  
"So let me get this straight," he asked now looking up briefly, "I'm supposed to be proud of you because WHY again?"  
  
"Because we didn't do anything," Ephram said, combing his hair.  
  
"You are missing the point, you two. Not only did you come very close to a possible disaster, but your SISTER saw!" He tried explaining; Delia's distant screams could still be heard. "And she CAN'T stop screaming! So one of you, or maybe both of you, I don't know, as long as it's not me, is going to go in there, WHEN YOU'RE DRESSED, and explain to her what happened,"  
  
"What didn't happen," Amy said. Andy looked at her with disappointed eyes; for the longest time now he had taken her under his wing, thought of her as one of his children. She understood, "Sorry. . ."  
  
"Just, ugh, just Ephram, go in my room and get dressed. Amy, I'll leave you alone in here to change. You guys are not changing in the same room, we don't need any close calls again," he said shaking his head. Amy blushed, she hated disappointing people, and lately it was she seemed to be able to do.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"Oooh oooh, ooooh yeah, mmmm...  
  
Love can be a many splendored thing  
  
Can't deny the joy it brings  
  
A dozen roses, diamond rings  
  
Dreams for sale and fairy tales  
  
It'll make you hear a symphony  
  
And you just want the world to see  
  
But like a drug that makes you blind,  
  
It'll fool ya every time"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
As Ephram exited the room, he kissed Amy on the cheek and grabbed his clothes, walking out into the hall in only his boxers. Andy knocked on his bedroom door and entered, despite Ephram not responding. His son was sitting on the floor, looking at pictures of when he was a baby since it had only taken a few minutes for him to throw jeans and a shirt on. Andy moved toward him and sat down beside Ephram, who was caught on a picture of his parents and him a few days after he was born.  
  
"Mom looks so happy," he said, tearing up, he couldn't bear to look at his father, knowing he'd be just as tearful.  
  
"She was, we both were. Ephram," he said taking in a deep breath, "having a child was the best thing that happened to your mom and I,"  
  
Ephram turned his gaze to him now, "But . . .?"  
  
"But we were responsible, and we were older, and we were married. You and Amy aren't any of those things right now"  
  
"We're responsible!" He shouted defensively, "If we weren't we wouldn't have stopped,"  
  
"Son, responsibility comes in many forms. Yes, you're an 'old soul' in many ways, more responsible than many people your age, but you're still only 16,"  
  
"Amy and I aren't stupid, Dad," he said standing up,  
  
"Well you almost were," he responded. "And your sister!"  
  
"She's ten, she can figure things out,"  
  
"No, she can't. How would you like it if you walked in on some boy and Delia lying in her bed without clothes on?"  
  
"That's different, she's my LITTLE sister, I'm older, and she's a girl," he said, knowing immediately that that wasn't an excuse.  
  
"And Bright is Amy's older brother," Andy said as Ephram closed his eyes. "Go back in there, get Amy, and figure out a way to fix this,"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
"The trouble with love is  
  
It can tear you up inside  
  
Make your heart believe a lie  
  
It's stronger than your pride  
  
The trouble with love is  
  
It doesn't care how fast you fall  
  
And you can't refuse the call  
  
See, you got no say at all"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
Making sure that he was more than presentable for his girlfriend, he reentered his bedroom. Amy was sitting in tears, her face in her hands, and when she looked up, her eyes were red and swollen. He sat down, wrapped his arm around her, and pulled her closer to him. "You know I'd never hurt you, right?" he asked her slowly; she nodded, still crying into her hands. "And you know that I'd do anything to stop you from being hurt?" She nodded again. "Maybe we let things get out of hand, let them get out of control earlier . . . I wasn't as . . . responsible as I should've been. I just love you so much, and it was wrong of me to come up to you with that sort of proposition when I knew it wasn't right,"  
  
"Well," she said speaking for the first time, "I wasn't exactly saying no, and when I did say it you stopped," He kissed her forehead. "Delia . . . I'm so embarrassed."  
  
"Yes, the Delia situation is one we'll have to work out. You stay in here, I'm going to go in there and try to explain," he said getting up, "Dad says he won't do it because he didn't cause it."  
  
"No, let me do it. I'm the girl," she said standing up, wiping away the streams of fierce tears that forced themselves down her cheek and onto her neck.  
  
"I can't ask you to do that, Amy. She's my little sister, I'm the one she's going to look at and be confused about," he said squeezing his brow, then sitting back down.  
  
"Delia is fragile. She may not seem like it because she acts like a tomboy sometimes, what with all her caps, but she's a little impressionable girl. Not that I doubt you or your father, but sometimes girls just need girl time, you understand?" she explained, the words seem to come out of the depths of her heart.  
  
"Well, being a guy . . . not really, but you seem pretty confident and set on it," he admitted. She walked back to him, kissed him once, saying, "I love you," and then was on her way down the hall.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"Now I was once a fool, it's true  
  
I played the game by all the rules  
  
But now my world's a deeper blue  
  
I'm sadder, but I'm wiser too  
  
I swore I'd never love again  
  
I swore my heart would never mend  
  
Said love wasn't worth the pain  
  
But then I hear it call my name"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
Meanwhile Tommy Callahan was trying to call the Abbott house because Amy's phone was turned off. Not content with leaving a voice mail, in case someone else should come across it accidentally, he decided to wait till tomorrow and then call Ephram. He didn't know him well, or very long for that matter, but they had one thing in common: Amy.  
  
It wasn't like Ephram was doing anything that urgent anyway. He was sitting there trying to imagine Amy explaining what had and hadn't happened between her Delia's brother and herself. At first he imagined it going well; then he pictured Delia pulling out her curse words again and making Ephram promise to not date Amy. The way he saw it, it could be going either way.  
  
Amy knocked on Delia's door. The screaming had subsided, probably because she hadn't much of a voice left. A small person stood behind the barely cracked open door with a cautious look on her face. Amy tried to smile, as best she could, but it wasn't working very well. The girl in front of her had always admired her, now she figured she thought nothing but horrible things of her. She tried to speak,  
  
"Delia, is it okay if I come in for a second?" she asked sweetly. Delia didn't know what to make of any of what was going on.  
  
"I guess," she hesitated, opening the door slowly. She immediately sat on her bed and hugged her legs, waiting for some explanation. Amy exhaled slowly, walking back and forth, then after seeing the little girl's expression, decided to sit down next to her.  
  
"I imagine it must be hard to only live with two boys," she started, "I know it's hard living with Bright and my Dad," she added to lighten the moment.  
  
"It's hard to live with BRIGHT?" Delia asked, shocked.  
  
"Believe it or not," she said smiling. Delia still had a look of wonderment as Amy continued, "sometimes girls just need time to talk to other girls alone, you know?"  
  
"Not really, no other girls, except for Madison, ever really wanted to talk about girl stuff before,"  
  
"You miss Madison, I can tell," Amy got a distant look in her eyes.  
  
"Sometimes, but I know she wasn't nice to Ephram," she explained. Amy got the sense that Delia had some part of Ephram in her, a mature part.  
  
"Well, how about you and I have some girl talk right now?" Amy suggested, and Delia still didn't know what to expect.  
  
"Um, okay," Delia said nervously.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"(The trouble with) The trouble with love is  
  
It can tear you up inside  
  
Make your heart believe a lie  
  
It's stronger than your pride  
  
The trouble with love is  
  
It doesn't care how fast you fall  
  
And you can't refuse the call  
  
See, you got no say at all  
  
Every time I turn around  
  
I think I've got it all figured out  
  
My heart keeps callin' and I keep on fallin'  
  
Over and over again  
  
The sad story always ends the same  
  
Me standin' in the pourin' rain  
  
It seems no matter what I do  
  
It tears my heart in two"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"Your Dad told you about boys and about how when you're older you'll fall in love with one, right?" she asked, biting her lip. *Am I going in the right direction with this?* she thought.  
  
"Yes, although he always looked angry when he said it," she admitted, causing Amy to laugh.  
  
"Well, Daddy's often have a hard time thinking about their daughters being grown up and moving away," Delia looked like she understood, "because they love their little girls so much,"  
  
"But Dad doesn't get sad when he talks about Ephram growing up, sometimes it seems like he WANTS him to leave,"  
  
"That's how my Dad and Bright's conversations usually go, but mom and I know differently. Guys just don't want to seem soft with each other, even dad's and son's, so they act like they expect them to move out without a problem," she said, at the end imitating a guy's voice. Delia laughed,  
  
"I think I get it," she said.  
  
"Good," Amy felt like she was really reaching Delia. "Now, once you're older, you'll meet a boy and you'll fall in love with him, like I did with Ephram," Delia looked ill but then smiled as she said,  
  
"I think I already love someone," she giggled now.  
  
"Who? Aw, a boy in your class? That's sweet!" she said teasing Delia as her cheeks turned red.  
  
"Not really. You know him, quite well in fact," she said and giggled more violently.  
  
"Bright?" she asked utterly disgusted. The thought of anyone in love with her brother churned her stomach but it was sweet nonetheless. "Bright's a nice guy, I guess." She said, "But you might want to start out a little more your age,"  
  
"I guess," she said disappointed.  
  
"When you love someone," she said, closing her eyes. She felt as though she were her mother, "sometimes you lose control of what you're doing,"  
  
"Is this about sex?" she asked blatantly with no sign of emotion.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"(The trouble with love is) The trouble with love, yeah  
  
(It can tear you up inside) It can tear you up inside  
  
(Make your heart believe a lie) Make your heart believe a lie  
  
It's stronger than your pride  
  
(The trouble with love is)  
  
It's in your heart  
  
It's in your soul (doesn't care how fast you fall)  
  
You won't get no control  
  
(and you can't refuse the call)  
  
See, you got no say at all"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````````  
  
"Um." Amy said, thrown off track.  
  
"Because I know all about that you know. Dad IS a doctor," she reminded her as if were no big deal.  
  
"Right, how silly of me to think you didn't know," she said trying to not blush. "What you saw between Ephram and me . . ." she breathed, "wasn't sex,"  
  
"It wasn't?" she asked relieved. Again this through Amy for a loop.  
  
"Well, I won't lie to you, because I think you and I can be really good friends, but you have to promise to try to understand the best you can, okay?" she took Delia's hand sisterly like.  
  
"Okay," she said nervously.  
  
"Your brother and I . . . we're deeply in love. We had a hard, long, stressful day and after overcoming a fight we recently went through, it seemed like we were getting a little ahead of ourselves while making up," this was really embarrassing for Amy to talk about.  
  
"So you almost did, but you didn't?" she asked raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Right," she said smiling, "your brother and I are very sorry that you even had to see that much, and well, your dad thought you'd never stop screaming . . ."  
  
"Just, don't let it happen again, okay Amy?" Delia said with a smile on her face.  
  
"We won't," she promised. "Thanks for listening," she said as she got up to leave, "oh, and Delia?"  
  
"Yeah?" she asked taking off her cap and looking at her hair in the mirror, causing Amy to smile.  
  
"You can talk to me about anything, okay? I'll be there for you,"  
  
"Yeah, you too," she said as Amy left the room.  
  
Micah had his things packed and was sitting on the couch singing a stunning rendition of "Happy Birthday" to Tommy over and over and over again the next day. "Happy Berfday to you, Happy Berfday to you, Happy Berfday dear Daddy, Happy Berf day to you." Tommy smiled, it was his eighteenth birthday, and while he wasn't spending it like any other adult in Everwood, his son's singing made it magical. He lifted him up, spinning him around.  
  
"When we gonna have berfday cake?" he asked, dizzily.  
  
"Not sure yet, Micah, but we will, and it'll be the best birthday cake Daddy's ever tasted,"  
  
"We gonna go to Amy's?" he asked as his dad gently placed him down.  
  
"I really hope so, son," he smiled and began tickling his son once again.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"(The trouble with love is) Oh, yeah  
  
(It can tear you up inside)  
  
(Make your heart believe a lie)" 


	26. Perfect

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 25 uses "Perfect" by Simple Plan  
  
Chapter25: Perfect  
  
"How'd it go?" Ephram asked cringing as he wrapped his arms around Amy's waist.  
  
"Surprisingly well," she said smiling, "Delia's such a sweet young girl," she kissed him now. "I told her we can talk anytime, and I honestly mean it,"  
  
"That was really nice of you, she doesn't have much of a female influence right now, and she's getting towards 'those years,' if you know what I mean. Don't get me wrong, Dad and I like talking to her, but there are certain things . . . well dad understands them medically but . . ." he blushed and started mumbling.  
  
"You mean puberty, the whole getting your period thing . . ." she said making him blush all the more. These topics didn't bother her, but she knew that as mature as Ephram was for his age, he was just like any other guy when it came to womanly issues.  
  
"Yeah, okay, anyways," he said trying to change the subject,  
  
"You know it's not a big deal, I mean," she started but then the phone rang. Relieved that he was escaping the subject, at least temporarily, he ran to answer it.  
  
"Hello?!" he said in a squeaky tone; Amy laughed. *Ah, to toy with him is bliss*  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
"Hey dad look at me  
  
Think back and talk to me  
  
Did I grow up according to plan?  
  
And do you think I'm wasting my time...  
  
Doing things I wanna do  
  
But it hurts when you disapprove all along"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"Ephram, man, I'm so glad you're home. I'm in a really big situation," Tommy said. "Sorry to call you, I tried Amy's but no one was home," In a way this made Ephram feel good, like he was needed. Amy looked confused so Ephram mouthed "Tommy" to her. Her eyes widened because she could see Ephram looked worried.  
  
"Hey, yeah, no problem, what's up? Are you okay?"  
  
"Not really," he started, "well, yes, I'm okay right now, but not in the long run. Look, something happened with my dad yesterday, and Micah and I need a place to stay until we can find one of our own," Tommy tried to explain but he was shaking so badly, trying to remain calm for the smiling Micah who was still singing the "Berfday song" like it was going out of style.  
  
"Come over right away, seriously, anything you need. You can explain later if you want," he said concerned. He then heard Micah singing in the background, "is that Micah?"  
  
"Oh yes, he's a singing maniac today," he said rolling his eyes. One more round of that song and he was going to spontaneously combust.  
  
"Sounds like, 'Happy Birthday' to me. Is it his birthday?"  
  
"No, next month, well, a few weeks but its in January. It's my birthday today, that's why we're leaving. I'm eighteen; I'm a free man," he said waving to Micah.  
  
"Well Happy Birthday then! When you get here we'll celebrate! You need a ride, right? Since the cars are your parents . . . and well . . ." he said trying not to make things worse.  
  
"A ride would be great. We'll be waiting out on the porch. I can't even stand being in this house anymore,"  
  
"Alright, see you soon then," Ephram said in a worried voice.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"And now I try hard to make it  
  
I just want to make you proud  
  
I'm never gonna be good enough for you  
  
I can't pretend that I'm alright  
  
And you can't change me  
  
Cuz we lost it all  
  
Nothing lasts forever  
  
I'm sorry I can't be perfect  
  
Now it's just too late  
  
And we can't go back  
  
I'm sorry I can't be perfect"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"Why don't you like it here anymore, Daddy?" Micah asked, now stopping his singing rampage, only temporarily though. *What am I supposed to say to that?* Tommy asked himself. His son was too young to explain all of this.  
  
"It's too hot in here, son." He said, and while this was possibly the lamest and questionable excuse ever, to his almost three year old it was the most believable explanation in the world; because his dad had said it. Oh, how he admired Tommy and everything he did. He knew there'd come a day when he'd have to explain his past to him and that day would break his heart. How would he ever tell him that he did drugs to escape his problems?  
  
Amy looked Ephram straight in the eye, afraid to ask what happened with the phone conversation. She knew it was inevitable, but a delay always seemed to ease things up, even in the slightest of ways. He hung the phone up on the receiver, walking towards her now with panic in his eyes.  
  
"What is it?" she asked hugging him tightly.  
  
"It's Tommy. He needs a place to stay . . . something happened,"  
  
"Oh God," she said, every muscle in her stomach tightening.  
  
"Will you go pick him up?" he asked seriously, "I need to talk to Dad, this is serious,"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, no problem," she began to walk away without thinking, then turned back and pulled Ephram into a passionate kiss. "Thank you for doing this, a week ago I never would've thought this would be possible . . . any of this,"  
  
"I'd do anything for you, you know that," he said kissing her under her right eye and then sending her on her way. "Hey, Amy," he shouted to her as she walked out his door. She turned again, "you forgot my keys," he said tossing them to her. She smiled.  
  
This weekend was turning into the most insane one he experienced in Everwood yet. As he walked in the hall toward his dad's room he passed Delia, who smiled at him once again like she had a hidden agenda.  
  
"What did Amy tell you?" he asked nervously.  
  
"Girl things. You can't know!" she said smiling.  
  
"I doubt I'd want to," he admitted, "where's dad?"  
  
"In the living room, why do you look upset?"  
  
"One of our friends is in trouble, I need to talk to dad. Things might be a little weird over Christmas break this year, just so you know, and I'm sorry for that, but it's important,"  
  
"When are you NOT weird?" she asked smiling. He shot her a serious glance and she asked, "how weird is weird?"  
  
"I don't know yet," he said then went to find Dr. Brown.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"I try not to think  
  
About the pain I feel inside  
  
Did you know you used to be my hero?  
  
All the days you spent with me  
  
Now seem so far away  
  
And it feels like you don't care anymore  
  
And now I try hard to make it  
  
I just want to make you proud  
  
I'm never gonna be good enough for you  
  
I can't stand another fight  
  
And nothing's alright"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
Amy pulled up to the Callahan house to see the two young men she cared about standing in the snow. Micah was bundled up so much she could barely see his face and Tommy looked utterly frozen. She got out of the car to help them with their bags. Micah had already restarted his "berfday song" renditions and Tommy had pretty much learned to block it out.  
  
"Amy!" he shouted hugging her leg. She lifted him up into the hair and then hugged him, "yay" he continued.  
  
"Hey you, ready to go on an adventure?" she asked, trying to sound optimistic.  
  
"Yeah!" he shouted as she put him in the backseat. Tommy looked at her when she leaned back out of the car. He smiled the most sincere smile she had ever directed toward her.  
  
"Thank you for doing this, Amy," he said, making it utterly impossible for her to not cry and throw her arms around him, pulling him into a hug.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Tommy . . . I . . ."  
  
"You don't have to say it now, we can talk later. When he's asleep . . ."  
  
"Berfday to you! Happy Berfday dear Daddy . . . !" they heard from the closed car doors.  
  
"He just won't stop singing that," Tommy said shaking his head but smiling. "He's my number one supporter,"  
  
"He's the best supporter anyone could ever have. That little boy is so precious," she said as they opened the car door.  
  
Amy began to get into the car, as did Tommy, and as they pulled away Amy began to sing the Happy Birthday song too . . . making it a little easier for the two boys to leave their house without feeling too horrible. . . or looking back.  
  
When they had finished, Amy immediately asked Micah a question, trying to prevent him from starting the song over again. "Alright, when we get back to Ephram's house, who wants birthday cake?!"  
  
"ME!" Tommy screamed, then looked back at his son to see him giggling.  
  
"Well then we better pick one up. Micah, you want to help me pick out which one you think you're Dad would like the most?"  
  
"Yeah!" he yelled from the backseat.  
  
"Alright, then let's go to the bakery!" she said glancing at Tommy. They were only a few minutes away when Micah had fallen asleep.  
  
"Guess all that singing kind of wore him out," Tommy said proudly looking back at the snoring boy.  
  
"He's so cute when he's asleep," she commented, looking back in her rearview mirror.  
  
"He's been through a lot, and I don't expect him to understand any of it," he said now turning around.  
  
"Don't let anyone ever convince you that you're a bad father," she said seriously as they pulled into a parking spot in the bakery lot. "Now you stay in here while I do m best to pick out something you'll like," he nodded excitedly.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"Cuz we lost it all  
  
Nothing lasts forever  
  
I'm sorry I can't be perfect  
  
Now it's just too late  
  
And we can't go back  
  
I'm sorry I can't be perfect  
  
Nothing's gonna change the things that you said  
  
Nothing's gonna make this right again  
  
Please don't turn your back  
  
I can't believe it's hard just to talk to you  
  
But you don't understand"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
She ran in and picked out a marble cake with cream cheese frosting, not knowing if that was his favorite but it certainly was hers. It was a medium sized cake and she figured there'd be plenty for everyone to enjoy. Tommy needed this day to be special so he wouldn't have to remember the day he turned 18 as the worst day of his life.  
  
When she got back outside she placed the cake in the backseat of the car, being careful not to wake Micah. Making her way to the front seat, she whispered, "I can't have you peeking, it's a surprise," in Tommy's direction. He made a pouty face. The rest of the ride was pretty quiet; they both knew what the other was thinking and didn't have any desire to wake up Micah and have him start singing again. Tommy only said one thing on the way home,  
  
"You know Amy, this is the biggest deal anyone has ever made out of my birthday," he smiled and looked genuinely happy.  
  
"The rest of your birthdays will be happy too, I promise," she said taking a hand off the wheel and squeezing his.  
  
Meanwhile, Ephram was back at home trying to explain to his Dad what was about to happen. Luckily Dr. Brown was semi-aware of Tommy and was willing to listen,  
  
"Tommy needs a place to stay for awhile. If we can't do it then Amy has to ask her parents and I don't know how well that will set with them . . ."  
  
"Just WHY is he leaving home again?" Dr. Brown asked, trying to understand all of the commotion.  
  
"He has family problems. His Dad's not nice to him at all, in fact, from the way his voice shook on the phone it was like he had been hit or something, or that Micah had witnessed something,"  
  
"Okay, okay, yes it's fine if he stays here for awhile, but eventually we're going to have to contact someone about his dad's actions,"  
  
"We will," he said slapping his dad on the back, "Thank you so much, Dad. This is really important," Ephram walked away and out to the driveway just as the car was pulling up. *What a day this has turned out to be* Ephram thought.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"Cuz we lost it all  
  
Nothing lasts forever  
  
I'm sorry I can't be perfect  
  
Now it's just too late  
  
And we can't go back  
  
I'm sorry I can't be perfect  
  
Cuz we lost it all  
  
Nothing lasts forever  
  
I'm sorry I can't be perfect  
  
Now it's just too late  
  
And we can't go back  
  
I'm sorry I can't be perfect"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````` 


	27. So I need you

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 26 uses "So I need you" by 3 doors down. Okay, so there's 2 songs in this one. "Blue Skies" by Irving Berlin (that's what Amy sings, you'll see) and then somewhere in between the "So I need you" one starts. Sorry for the confusion.  
  
Chapter 26: So I need you  
  
"Hey, Tommy," Ephram said, slapping him on the back. As happy as he told himself he would sound, it just wasn't working. Amy had lifted the sleeping boy out of the backseat and was holding him as she leaned in to kiss Ephram on the cheek. Ephram smiled then continued talking to Tommy, "my Dad says its okay if you stay with us for awhile,"  
  
"Really? Oh, thank you so much. Seriously, I've never been more worried about what I was going to do with my life than today." He said looking at Micah, who had started drooling on Amy's shoulder.  
  
"Let's get inside, it's freezing!" Ephram said as he helped Tommy carry in the bags since Amy's arms were full. When they got inside, Dr. Brown looked concerned when looking at Tommy. In all the hustle and bustle, Amy hadn't noticed that her friend's face was looking a little different than normal.  
  
"Amy, why don't you take Micah upstairs and lay him down on Ephram's bed for awhile," Andy suggested as he walked over to Tommy. Once she had gone upstairs, he began looking more closely at Tommy's face, "son, what exactly happened?"  
  
"Just Dad being Dad again," he said trying to sound okay, but it was obvious that he wasn't. "It's happened one too many times, and Micah just doesn't need to live in a house full of violence and yelling. He doesn't deserve that; no one does,"  
  
"I'm gonna go upstairs and check on Amy, I think . . ." Ephram said pointing at the stairs, figuring Tommy would want some time alone to talk with Andy.  
  
"No, Ephram, man, can you stay?" Tommy asked. Ephram was taken aback by this, but it made him feel important.  
  
"Yeah, sure I can," he said smiling and sat back down.  
  
Meanwhile Amy had gone upstairs and was just placing Micah down to continue sleeping on Ephram's bed. Pulling the blanket over him, she began singing,  
  
"I was blue, just as blue as I could be  
  
Ev'ry day was a cloudy day for me  
  
Then good luck came a-knocking at my door  
  
Skies were gray but they're not gray anymore  
  
Blue skies  
  
Smiling at me  
  
Nothing but blue skies  
  
Do I see,"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"If you could step into my head,  
  
tell me would you still know me  
  
If you woke up in my bed,  
  
tell me then would you hold me  
  
Or would you simply let it lie,  
  
leaving me to wonder why  
  
I can't get you out of this head  
  
I call mine  
  
And I will say"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
But she was interrupted by a knock at the door. Amy turned to see Delia standing there confused,  
  
"Hi sweetheart," she said softly so not to wake the small one.  
  
"Amy?" she whispered, "I thought you said you didn't sleep with Ephram, how'd you get a kid?" she was honestly concerned, making Amy smile and walk toward her.  
  
"Oh this isn't Ephram and my kid," she said blushing at the thought, "this is our friend Tommy's son, Micah,"  
  
Delia moved in closer to see the boy and then giggled, "he's cute . . . is Tommy the boy that's crying downstairs?"  
  
"He's crying?" Amy asked sadly, beginning to tear up herself.  
  
"Just a little," Delia said trying to cheer Amy up, but then asking, "Is Tommy older than you?"  
  
"Only about a year and a half," she knew where this was going and prepared an explanation.  
  
"How can he have a child this big already then?"  
  
"Tommy and his girlfriend made an irresponsible decision for their age,"  
  
"Where's his girlfriend now? Doesn't she miss Micah?"  
  
"Micah's mom died . . ." Amy said as Delia's face lost color. "He never knew her,"  
  
"I guess he and I have something in common then . . ." she said starting to cry. Amy pulled her into a hug and Delia felt comforted by being able to share her sadness with someone not AS old as her mother would be, but certainly old enough to be her sister.  
  
"Everything's going to work out, I promise," Amy whispered in her ear, then looked at Micah and said, "for you too," then Amy finished up by singing the rest of the song,  
  
"Bluebirds  
  
Singing a song  
  
Nothing but bluebirds  
  
All day long  
  
Never saw the sun shining so bright  
  
Never saw things going so right  
  
Noticing the days hurrying by  
  
When you're in love, my how they fly  
  
Blue days  
  
All of them gone  
  
Nothing but blue skies  
  
From now on"  
  
"But Micah is under your parents' custody?" Andy asked after hearing the sad story of Tommy's childhood and rough decisions.  
  
"Yes, but there's no way he's going back there. My mom has a hard enough time dealing with my father," he explained, upset at the idea.  
  
"Your dad's not going to let this go, he seems too angry," Ephram said to him, trying to be supportive.  
  
"You guys don't UNDERSTAND!" Tommy yelled, standing up and walking around. "My son can't be alone there,"  
  
"What happened when you were in rehab? You were gone for a little while, he was there, right?" Andy asked.  
  
"Yes, but that was before my dad started hitting me," he explained, a tear now running down his cheek. "Please, Dr. Brown, I don't care if it's kidnapping to keep Micah here with me, he CAN'T go back!"  
  
"Okay, okay we've talked enough for today," Andy said, trying to gather his thoughts. "Go celebrate your birthday, okay?" Andy smiled.  
  
All Tommy could do was nod. When Andy left the room Ephram turned to Tommy. "So how do you want to spend your eighteenth?"  
  
"Not like this," he said trying to wipe away the tears, the laughing lightly. "Mind if I go check on Micah?"  
  
"Not at all, I'll cut the cake!" Ephram said heading into the kitchen.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"Oh no I can't let you go, my little girl  
  
Because you're holding up my world  
  
So I need you.  
  
Your imitation of my walk and the perfect way you talk  
  
It's just a couple of the million things that I love about you  
  
So I need you  
  
So I need you  
  
So I need you  
  
So I need you"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````  
  
Delia had fallen asleep to Amy's singing too; Amy supposed it she was worn out from feeling sad about her mom. When Tommy entered Ephram's bedroom he saw his best friend starting to fall asleep as well. He smiled, and looked between his son and Amy. *They get along so well. He's so lucky to have her* then his smile faded and he kicked himself for thinking what he did next, *I am so lucky to have her. I care for her so much* He then stroked Micah's cheek, causing him to move slightly but not enough to wake up. He knelt down next to the bed and placed his head on the pillow, inches away from his little boy's face, listening to him breathe. As Micah breathed, it brushed against Tommy and made him think of Abby. "Oh, why'd you have to leave me, Abigail? I loved you so much. I don't know what to do. . . I don't know what to do . . ." he repeated over and over in whispers.  
  
Amy's eyes slowly opened and she saw Tommy whispering cries of sorrow and grief into the air. Moving as slowly and gently as her eyes had opened, she placed her hand on the silent sobbing young man next to her. His shaking stopped and turned his head toward her, where he saw a tear sliding down her cheek as well. Although she loved Ephram, she often thought of Colin and of how much she missed him. Tommy had gone through almost the exact thing she had, both loves dying, and at that moment she felt like there was no where else on earth more important to be than right there for him. Her touch calmed him, yet started a whole new round of emotions that made him feel worse than he did before.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"And if I jumped of the Brooklyn Bridge,  
  
Tell me would you still follow me  
  
and if I made you mad today,  
  
tell me would you love me tomorrow?  
  
Please. or would you say that you don't care,  
  
and then leave me standing here  
  
Like the fool who is drowning in despair and screamin'  
  
Oh no I can't let you go, my little girl  
  
Because you're holding up my world,  
  
so I need you.  
  
Your imitaion of my walk and the perfect way you talk  
  
It's just a couple of the million things that I love about you."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"It's okay to miss her," Amy whispered to him, both heads lying on the bed about 2 feet apart, staring at each other.  
  
"No, it's not. I have to be strong for my son . . . for Micah. He never sees me cry . . ." he explained sniffling.  
  
"I thought I had to be strong too, but what I thought was being strong was actually being the complete opposite. Not showing emotion, not talking to people only made me keep things inside, and that's how I became depressed."  
  
"Oh, I know weakness, just ask my friends at the rehab center . . ." he said laughing.  
  
"You don't have to joke around about that," she said closing her eyes, "In fact, please don't."  
  
"I'm sorry . . ." he said, feeling uncomfortable and standing up.  
  
"No, I'm sorry," she whispered after him. She stood up and walked over to him, stopping him from being able to leave the room. "I shouldn't force you to talk about your girlfriend or any of that . . . I know I didn't like people pressuring me to talk about my feelings when Colin died. I still don't,"  
  
*Please, Amy, don't whisper like that, I can't do this . . . I can't feel this way . . .* he thought. "That's not what I'm sorry about," he explained, his stomach swirling around, "I wish it were, honest to God," he said moving to leave again, "but it's not,"  
  
"Well then, what is it?" she asked, becoming more concerned.  
  
"There's more to the story than you know," he said, "Look, Ephram's waiting, let's just go downstairs and have cake, okay? I want to make this a decent birthday,"  
  
"Wait!" she held out her arm in front of him, it pressed against his stomach "I'll listen if you just tell me,"  
  
"No, I can't do that," he said becoming almost angry.  
  
"Why are you talking to me like you hate me?" she asked loudly.  
  
"Stop yelling, you'll wake them," he said as he left the room, making Amy follow him, feeling confused and upset.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"So I need you  
  
So I need you  
  
So I need you  
  
So I need you  
  
I'm on my own  
  
I'm on my own  
  
I'm on my own"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
Tommy thundered down the stairs and flew into the kitchen, calming himself down so Ephram wouldn't feel the tension between he and Amy.  
  
"Sweet, marble cake, this is my favorite," he said stuffing a bunch in his face.  
  
"Well, Amy picked it out," Ephram motioned in her direction and smiled. She looked less than enthused, but Ephram couldn't figure out why. He waited for either one of them to say something but it never happened. "Okay, so we're not talking now. Well that's okay, more time for cake!" Ephram said as there was a knock at the door. "Oh, excuse me a minute,"  
  
Leaving Amy and Tommy alone in the kitchen wasn't a good idea. She kept shooting him pitiful looks, making him feel things he never intended to feel for her; things he wasn't allowed to feel . . . and so they ate cake in silence.  
  
"Ephram!" the voice at the door said loudly and threw her arms around him. "I'm so glad you're home,"  
  
"Oh, hey, yeah we're um . . . celebrating a birthday in the kitchen if you want to check it out," he said as she hugged him. She followed him into the kitchen and smiled when she saw Amy and Tommy sitting at the table. Amy dropped her fork and Tommy began to cough in surprise.  
  
"Since when have you been Ephram's friend?" Amy sarcastically asked a beaming Kayla. Tommy stared at nothing except for Amy; he couldn't help it, and as much as he tried to shove her out of his head, tell himself he was okay, he now knew she meant more to him than he thought.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"Oh no I can't let you go my little girl  
  
Because your holding up my world,  
  
so I need you.  
  
Your imitation of my walk and the perfect way you talk  
  
It's just a couple of the million things that I love about you.  
  
So I need you  
  
So I need you  
  
So I need you  
  
So I need you" 


	28. If you're not the one

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 27 uses "If you're not the one," by Daniel Bedingfield  
  
Chapter 27: If you're not the one  
  
Amy's eyes burned through Kayla with an air of jealousy. With all the commotion going on, Ephram hadn't had time to tell Amy that he and Kayla were going to try being friends. He also needed to encourage Amy to consider talking to Kayla and working through their problems because deep down Kayla still wanted to be Amy's friend. None of that counted though, because it hadn't had the chance to. Instead, Amy was plagued with confusion, frustration, and anger, not only from Kayla's spontaneous appearance but by what had happened with Tommy only minutes before.  
  
Ephram foresaw all of what Amy was thinking and about to say, and rightfully interjected before she had the chance to go any further, "Kayla and I are friends now, I went to talk to her about you and I," he started but Amy already had started to respond.  
  
"Kayla doesn't even know anything ABOUT you and I, why would you ask her, of all people?" she shouted.  
  
"I don't know, Amy, maybe because I went through the same thing as he recently has!" Kayla shouted back in return. Ephram cringed. He didn't need to be trapped between his girlfriend and Kayla, the person who had the right perspective. And so he walked over to Amy and held her hand. Tommy looked away.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"If you're not the one then why does my soul feel glad today?  
  
If you're not the one then why does my hand fit yours this way?  
  
If you are not mine then why does your heart return my call  
  
If you are not mine would I have the strength to stand at all"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"I needed to talk to someone about what I was feeling, what I was going through. Kayla helped me see that what exists between you and Tommy is purely friendship and it's foolish for me to think either of you feel otherwise," Amy softened at this, and Tommy excused himself to 'check on Micah.' He couldn't look Ephram in the eye while he was saying all those things. How could he do this to the guy who was kind enough to let his son and him live there until they could make it on their own?  
  
"Well, I still don't trust her," Amy said snottily facing Kayla.  
  
"You know, I'm right here, you don't have to speak as if I'm not," Kayla defended her emotions.  
  
"And you don't have to pretend to be nice to Ephram. What's your real motive?" Amy dared to ask.  
  
"I came to see if everything worked out between you two, if you must know,"  
  
"Yes, I must," Amy said pulling away from Ephram to get in Kayla's face.  
  
"Can we all just settle down, please?" Ephram suggested, knowing that Micah was asleep.  
  
"You're not in this!" Both girls shouted at the same time.  
  
"Glad to see that you two agree on at least ONE thing," he said and resorted to silence.  
  
"If you're here to prove to me that you're worthy of being Ephram's friend then you're not doing a very good job of it,"  
  
"So now you're the keeper of his friends?" Kayla asked loudly, "Well isn't that the SAME thing you were mad about when you thought Ephram was trying to tell you who your friends could be?" Amy hated to admit that Kayla had just made sense, so instead she relied on actions that she thought her 'friend' deserved. Putting her hand on a piece of cake, she lifted it and smashed it right into Kayla's face. Naturally, Kayla screamed.  
  
"Who do you are?!" she screamed, wiping the frosting away from her eyes to see.  
  
"The same girl I've always been, except for now I have something you can't have," she smiled devilishly, "Ephram," to this Kayla took to pieces of cake and smeared them around in Amy's hair. Ephram had an extremely hard time not laughing at what was going on right in front of him. When a full fledged cake war began he decided it was going too far,  
  
"Okay, okay, that's enough. I'm the one who's going to have to clean up after you two so if you would just calm down," he said, but Kayla and Amy both threw cake at him. It wasn't that they were getting along now, it was just that he had interfered. By now Tommy had returned.  
  
"Happy Birthday to me, I guess," Tommy joked looking at the two girls covered in cake, and pretending to take a bite out of Kayla. She screamed, and then ended up laughing. Just when Ephram thought things were settling down, he was dead wrong.  
  
"You stay the hell away from Ephram, he doesn't need you drugging him again,"  
  
"Here's an idea, Amy . . . start realizing what a nice guy Ephram is and that he's going to have other friends; people you don't even get along with will get along with Ephram,"  
  
"Forget you," Amy said storming upstairs, "When I get cleaned up I'm going home. I'll call you tomorrow, Ephram, okay?" she said kissing him.  
  
"Yeah, okay . . ." was all he had time to say before he heard the bathroom door slamming shut.  
  
"Ephram, I'm sorry . . . I didn't mean to . . ." Kayla said sitting down.  
  
"No, it's okay, she's had a rough few days. I'm sure she normally would've reacted differently," he apologized for her, then turned toward Tommy who looked out of place and uncomfortable.  
  
"Will you do me a favor and go check on her?" Ephram asked Tommy. *Not smart of you, but yes,* Tommy thought.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"I never know what the future brings  
  
But I know you are here with me now  
  
We'll make it through  
  
And I hope you are the one I share my life with  
  
I don't want to run away but I can't take it, I don't understand  
  
If I'm not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am?  
  
Is there any way that I can stay in your arms?"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"Yeah, no problem," he said hurrying up the stairs. He arrived at the bathroom door to hear his friend's sobs. This broke his heart; it would've before, but especially now. He knocked once,  
  
"Amy? Amy come out here," Tommy gently said.  
  
"Leave me alone, I don't want to talk to anybody," she responded shakily.  
  
"I know you don't, but I also know you told me it's okay to be sad about things," he reminded her.  
  
"I know it is, I just want to be sad in here, by myself right now," she said pressed up against the door so he could hear her muffled responses.  
  
"You also said it's important to talk to people; that you didn't do that last time and that's how you became depressed,"  
  
The door cracked open slightly. "You can come in," she said hesitatingly. He wasn't sure how to react. He hadn't ever been invited into a bathroom with a girl before. Amy was sitting in the middle of the bathroom on a circular rug, surrounded by mascara drenched Kleenexes. Her cheeks were red, her eyes swollen, cake clumped in her hair. She looked a mess, yet to Tommy she looked more beautiful than ever. He took a seat next to her,  
  
"Is it okay if I, um, move these over a little?" he asked carefully picking up a few of the balled up Kleenexes. She nodded.  
  
"Sorry," she said shyly.  
  
"No, I'm sorry," he said trying to force his gaze away from her eyes. "Amy, I was a jerk to you earlier. It scares me, worries me that I might end up like my dad one day," he still wasn't planning on telling her why he had acted the way he did.  
  
"No, Tommy, you could never end up like him. You're too gentle and loving," she said, making him blush. "Are you okay?" she asked kindly.  
  
"Yes, I'm just a little warm," he said fanning himself with the collar of his shirt, "I'm here if you need me," he comforted her.  
  
"I always need you," she said seriously, making his heart race. "You're my best friend," she continued, bringing him back to reality.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"If I don't need you then why am I crying on my bed?  
  
If I don't need you then why does your name resound in my head?  
  
If you're not for me then why does this distance maim my life?  
  
If you're not for me then why do I dream of you as my wife?  
  
I don't know why you're so far away  
  
But I know that this much is true  
  
We'll make it through  
  
And I hope you are the one I share my life with  
  
And I wish that you could be the one I die with  
  
And I pray in you're the one I build my home with  
  
I hope I love you all my life"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
"Do you see Kayla as a threat?" he asked gently, trying to change the subject.  
  
"I don't know, Tommy, it's like I'm not comfortable in my own shoes anymore. Just when I was happy, just when I had what I needed, I get sent back down again, you know? I'm happy with Ephram, he loves me, I love him," Tommy looked away, but Amy continued, "and I just don't want to be friends with anyone who would try to ruin that,"  
  
Tommy's heart caught in his chest. What was he supposed to do now? Although he never planned on doing anything about his feelings for Amy, he certainly had to expel them now before she found out and kicked him, and Micah for that matter, out of her life forever.  
  
"Don't jump to any conclusions, Amy," he said kindly, and she leaned her head on his shoulder. He could barely breathe, but forced out the words, "I have a feeling that no one could come between you and Ephram,"  
  
"Thanks," she said leaning up and giving him a kiss on the cheek. This was torture for him. It had been 3 years since he loved anyone, and while his feelings for Amy were just starting, he was afraid at this rate he'd be in love with her in a matter of days. That, he could not stand for. "Can you do me a favor?" she asked looking him right in the eye.  
  
"Anything," he smiled.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"I don't want to run away but I can't take it, I don't understand  
  
If I'm not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am  
  
Is there any way that I can stay in your arms?  
  
'Cause I miss you, body and soul so strong that it takes my breath away  
  
And I breathe you into my heart and pray for the strength to stand today  
  
'Cause I love you, whether it's wrong or right  
  
And though I can't be with you tonight  
  
And know my heart is by your side"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
Meanwhile, Kayla and Ephram were attempting to clean up the Brown's kitchen before Andy or Delia saw it.  
  
"So I guess this means you and I shouldn't be friends," Kayla said tossing the plate the cake was on in the sink.  
  
"That's ridiculous, Kayla. You said it yourself, that's what I was trying to do before and it was wrong. I love Amy more than anything, but I don't deny her rights to see Tommy now, in fact, he and I are friends now too,"  
  
"Oh yeah?" she said looking as if she were coming up with a master plan.  
  
"What now?" he rolled his eyes, smirking.  
  
"He's kinda cute . . ." she said, hoping Ephram would catch on.  
  
"No," he said seriously, "Absolutely not, I am not suggesting that he ask you out," he shook his head.  
  
"Why not?!" she asked wiping the table with a dishcloth.  
  
"Because he's got a lot going on right now, and he's Amy's best friend,"  
  
"Oh . . ." she cut him off with a sad tone. He didn't realize why until a few seconds later.  
  
"Oh . . . Kayla, God, I'm sorry, I just meant that . . ."  
  
"No, it's fine. I know she didn't consider me her best friend anymore. I mean, who am I to talk? You're one of the forgotten ones too, right?"  
  
"Kind of, but I still have her," he said finishing up the last of the cleaning. "And if I set you up with Tommy she's going to get angry,"  
  
"Why?" she asked. Ephram could tell she was serious.  
  
"Because she's very protective of her guy friends," he explained, "I know, I used to be one of them."  
  
"You still are," she said placing a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Not as much, but I accept it," he nodded.  
  
"Well you're my guy friend," she said happily, trying to cheer him up.  
  
"And I'm glad," he said thanking her for helping him clean up.  
  
Upstairs, Tommy's heart was going in every which way and there was no use trying to figure out which one was right.  
  
"Will you help me get this cake out of my hair?" Amy asked, still not able to stop crying. She threw herself into his arms, hugging him until he was out of breath.  
  
Part of him saw Amy as his best friend, another as someone he connected with through common experience, and the last as someone who was amazing when dealing with his son. It was still only his first day as a legal adult and Tommy was already daydreaming about his future. The only problem was, he couldn't seem to imagine it without Amy, and she couldn't imagine hers without Ephram.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"I don't want to run away but I can't take it, I don't understand  
  
If I'm not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am  
  
Is there any way that I could stay in your arms" 


	29. Why

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 28 uses "Why (Are will still friends?) by 98 degrees.  
  
Chapter 28: Why  
  
"Remember what I said now, Kayla," Ephram said as he walked her to the door. "Nothing has to change between us for Amy's sake," as soon as the words left his lips he knew they sounded cruel and cold.  
  
"As long as you say so," she said lifting herself on her tiptoes to give him a kiss on the cheek and walking out the door. He lifted his hand to his face, much like he had the day Amy left for the school ski trip. It felt awkward having someone else kiss him now, even if it was just on the cheek. Now that Kayla was gone he felt he should go upstairs and check on Amy, but he decided to let Tommy handle things, he didn't want to make whatever was wrong even worse. He lay down on the couch and, being that it was getting pretty late, drifted off to sleep.  
  
"Um, I've never really had to get anything like this out of my hair before . . . well I had gum in it once, but it wasn't this long, and . . ." Tommy said lifting chunks of her hair awkwardly.  
  
"Well it's only frosting, it should come out, right?" she asked dabbing her now almost tear free eyes.  
  
"Maybe I'll get Ephram's sister or something," he suggested opening the door.  
  
"Don't be ridiculous, she's asleep and if you wake her you'll wake Micah," Amy said trying to separate the strands, looking cross eyed through them to see him. He laughed at this; not because it was funny but because he thought it was adorable.  
  
"O-okay," He stuttered, "Well, why don't you just lean your head over the sink and try that way?" he said turning on the faucet.  
  
"There's NO way my hair is fitting under that faucet. Its way too long," she looked at him with a funny expression. "I'm going to have to use the shower," At this he blushed, and turned away.  
  
"I'll just go . . ." he started.  
  
"I can't do this by myself," she pleaded, tugging on the sleeve of his shirt. "I don't see why you're freaking out about it,"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"We do almost everything that lovers do  
  
And that's why it's hard, just to be friends with you  
  
Every time your heart is broken by the fool  
  
I want you to know that it hurts me too  
  
It's hard to wipe your tears away (tears away)  
  
Knowing that you should be with me  
  
Now tell me why"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"Well won't Ephram wonder what's taking so long?" he asked trying to get out of it. He wanted to help her so much, and god knows he wanted to see some shower action, but his mind was working hard to overcome the needs of his heart.  
  
"Ephram's with HER, remember?" Amy's eyes grew cold.  
  
"Jealous?" he teased.  
  
"YES!" She admitted, "I'm damn jealous,"  
  
"Oh please, like Ephram could ever love any girl more than he loves you," Tommy said, rolling his eyes. He knew this was true. "Besides, they're friends, like you and I." He hoped, however, that THAT wasn't true. If Kayla felt the same way for Ephram as Tommy did for Amy then there was going to be trouble.  
  
"I don't know . . ." she paused, "but can you please help me with my hair?!" she pleaded.  
  
He stepped over to her and lifted her hair, holding it above her head and a little away from the shower head for now. "Don't worry, I won't bite," she said but to Tommy it sounded a little too seductive. He knew she didn't mean it that way.  
  
"I wish you would," he said in a joking manner, but really meant it. She playfully hit his stomach, and if it weren't for her having hair in her face she may very well have seen him blushing. He turned the knobs of the shower and made sure the temperature was okay before he let it touch her. "I'm used to finding the perfect temperature for Micah," making her smile. There was gentleness in the way he carried himself.  
  
As the water came out in steady chutes, he realized he had to step in there with her to actually help rinse the frosting out. Now, they were fully clothed, this much was true, so it didn't make much sense that Tommy hesitated as he stepped over the side of the tub. Slowly he guided her forward, letting the water meet her hair in powerful showers. Certainly she could've done that much for herself, and really only needed him to help her pull out a little frosting . . . but there was a nurturing side to him that made her feel comfortable in even the oddest and most inappropriate situations. Maybe that was why he was her best friend.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"Why why are we still friends  
  
When everything says  
  
We should be more than we are  
  
And tell me why every time I find  
  
Someone that I like  
  
We always end up just being friends (Just Being Friends)"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
She held her hands up to her eyes, then removed them and let the water soak her tear stained face. She could feel his caring hand on her back as she stood there helplessly. After a few coats of shampoo and rinses, he was convinced the cake had worked its way out. And although he would've done anything to stay in there with her longer, and have her need him, it just couldn't be.  
  
"Man, this sucks," she said laughing as she looked at her soaking clothes. "It sucks even more that there aren't any girl clothes here my size. Delia's WAY too small," She continued wringing out her hair. "I do feel better though, thanks,"  
  
"It was my pleasure," he said once again tipping his invisible hat. It really was his pleasure. She laughed. "You're soaking too. I bet you could borrow some of Ephram's clothes," she suggested not remembering he was living there now and had all his clothes with him.  
  
"Eh, I'll just throw another one of my shirts on later, I'll be here for awhile," he said winking as she blushed because she felt stupid.  
  
Trying to change the subject, she began talking about Micah, "he's been out for awhile, you think he's okay?"  
  
"Oh yes, little boys wear themselves out quite easily," he said laughing. "You'd be surprised," she smiled. "Can I borrow that towel?" he asked referring to the one she had been using to dry her hair.  
  
"It's pretty wet already, won't do much," she handed it to him and he started rubbing it through his hair.  
  
"Damn, my gel," he said giving her a fake pout. She rolled her eyes then smiled.  
  
"Go get that other shirt, that one's really, really, wet,"  
  
"No, how come I get a new shirt and you have to sit around in wet clothes?" he asked honestly. He really WAS a gentleman.  
  
"Because YOU," she said poking him in the chest, "live here now," he smiled. He knew she wasn't trying to tempt him on purpose.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"I would hate for you to find somebody new  
  
Who you really love, cause it would mean losing you  
  
But am I a fool girl not to say  
  
If I'm always scared I'll lose you anyway  
  
Somehow somewhere I've got to choose (got to choose)  
  
No matter if it's win or lose  
  
Now tell me why"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
Tommy then did something that he most likely would've been better off doing when she wasn't around. He didn't know what came over him, but he suddenly decided it was okay to just take the wet shirt off, and while he had a sleeveless white shirt on under it, it had started to ride up. "Excuse me a minute," he said turning around. Amy felt awkward, even though she'd seen guys without shirts a million times. She hadn't ever seen Tommy. The glimpse she did catch, though, made her jaw drop slightly. She hadn't realized how muscular he was. He pulled the undershirt back down and turned around, his hair sticking up everywhere. "Sorry," he said smiling. She was still looking down.  
  
"Oh it's not a big deal or anything," she said waving the image of him seconds before out of her head. What girl doesn't like to see something like that?  
  
"Well I'm going to get that shirt now . . . I'll tell Ephram you need to borrow some of his clothes, okay?" he said starting to walk out the door.  
  
"Thanks," she said smiling and reaching her now dry hand out to take his in gratitude, "I won't forget this,"  
  
As soon as Tommy left the bathroom he started to breathe again. On the other side of that door was the girl who was unintentionally pulling at his heartstrings as if they were bendable. They weren't, and soon, they would break if he didn't do one of two things: get her out of his head or tell her what he felt.  
  
Ephram was still asleep on the couch when Tommy approached him to tell him what happened and ask him for something for Amy to wear. While Tommy much rather would've let her borrow some of his clothes, a sweatshirt, maybe some pajama pants, he knew that'd be overstepping the boundaries and Ephram had a right to help his own girlfriend out. Yet, Tommy wondered how he could be sound asleep down there when he knew how upset Amy was. It just didn't make sense; in fact the only thing it did make him was angry.  
  
"Hey, Eph, wake up," he said throwing a shoe at him. Ephram stirred; he never could any sleep without someone interrupting or asking him questions.  
  
"Go away," he said.  
  
"No, Amy needs you," he said trying to raise Ephram's awareness.  
  
"What?" he said sitting up now, "Is everything okay? I thought she left,"  
  
"No, look, I had to help her wash the cake out of her hair, that's why I'm wet and she's sitting up there in the bathroom soaking. So could you let her borrow some of your clothes?"  
  
"Oh, god . . . and I was asleep . . ." he said feeling horrible that he wasn't there for her. "Thank you so much for being there," he said looking at Tommy now.  
  
"Yeah, well there's no place else I would've been," he said, still upset that Ephram didn't seem to care that Amy was in such bad shape.  
  
"I'll go get some clothes, you turning in for the night?" Ephram asked him.  
  
"Yeah, where do I sleep?" he asked, realizing no one had told him.  
  
"Well for tonight I'll crash down here since Micah's in my bed. You can sleep on the floor in there if you want, otherwise there's the guest bed. I have to run Amy home still so I probably won't see you 'til the morning," he said walking to his room.  
  
"Yeah, okay. Goodnight,"  
  
Ephram grabbed one of his long sleeved shirts and pajama pants and brought them into the bathroom. Amy was turned around and must've thought it was Tommy because she asked him if everything went alright with Ephram.  
  
"I AM Ephram," he said laughing and she spun around to fall into his arms.  
  
"I'm so sorry I was sleeping . . . I should've been the one to help you."  
  
"You had to help Kayla, I understand," she lied. He knew she wasn't telling the truth.  
  
"Still, you are my top priority," he said kissing her nose, "And I love you. Now put these on and I'll take you home before your Dad becomes even more alarmed."  
  
When she was dressed and ready to go she went into Ephram's room to see Micah one more time before she left. He had been sleeping for 8 hours now and was still completely out of it. She gave him a kiss on the forehead, wishing she could live at Ephram's house too now. "Goodnight, sweetheart," she whispered.  
  
And while Ephram was grabbing his keys and his jacket to take her home, she walked down the stairs to find Tommy fast asleep on the couch. She supposed hadn't made it up to Ephram's room without laying down. She sat on the couch next to him, finding it amazing that he and Micah looked the same way when they were asleep. She touched his cheek and said, "Happy Birthday," He didn't move and pretended to be asleep just so he could have this moment. "I'm sorry I didn't have time to get you a present, although, I don't know what you would've wanted anyway," she said getting up and taking Ephram's hand as they walked out the door and onto the freshly blanketed snow.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"I don't wanna be like your brother  
  
I don't wanna be your best friend  
  
I only wanna be your lover  
  
When will this end  
  
If I told you that I wanna be in your life  
  
Then you could be the woman in mine"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
Tommy sat up and watched out the fogged over window, barely being able to make out Amy's figure getting into Ephram's car. "You," he said moved upstairs to sleep on the floor next to his son.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"Why why are we still friends  
  
When everything says  
  
We should be more than we are  
  
And tell me why every time I find  
  
Someone that I like  
  
We always end up just being friends (Just Being Friends)  
  
Why why are we still friends  
  
When everything says  
  
We should be more than we are  
  
And tell me why every time I find  
  
Someone that I like  
  
We always end up just being friends (Just Being Friends)" 


	30. In the Arms of Sleep

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 29 uses "In the Arms of Sleep" by Smashing Pumpkins  
  
Chapter 29: In the Arms of Sleep  
  
Amy leaned back completely in the seat of the car and closed her eyes. "It's been a really long day," Ephram said as he pulled up to her house. She nodded, yawning lightly. "And it's not over for me yet," he added.  
  
"Why do I feel like all of this is my fault?" Amy finally asked, not wanting to get out of the car.  
  
"It isn't at all," he said placing a hand on her shoulder, "The only person responsible for any of this is Tommy's dad,"  
  
"Yeah, but if I hadn't become such great friends with him you wouldn't have to be involved in this mess,"  
  
"I chose to be, Amy. Your friends are my friends, if they want to be at least," she opened her eyes to his tender words. No matter what he said it always came out perfectly, as if it were being read out of a book. "How could I not care about someone that means so much to you?"  
  
"Easily. I don't care about Kayla, and supposedly she thinks she means something to you," she responded. It wasn't that she wanted to be a bitch about Kayla, she just had a really hard to accepting that someone so disloyal and untrustworthy could make a complete 180 degree turn all because of one conversation with Ephram. But then again . . . it WAS Ephram, and Kayla was right when saying he makes friends easily. None of it made sense.  
  
"I love you," he said, pretending she didn't say anything derogatory about his new friend. He knew she'd come around eventually, and just didn't think it was worth continuing the same argument. At his words her eyes melted. He was everything she'd ever need, ever want, and knowing that she had him, and that he loved her more than life itself, made her temporarily forget everything that was wrong in their lives.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"Sleep will not come to this tired body now  
  
Peace will not come to this lonely heart  
  
There are some things I'll live without  
  
But I want you to know that I need you right now  
  
I need you tonite"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"I love you too," she said kissing him. "I only hope my Dad can put his love for me over the fact that I'm coming home so late and after a very long few days,"  
  
"My dad said it's all good. You know, you're so good with Micah and Delia. I can't believe how they just take to you like that,"  
  
"Kids just need to know they're loved and cared for. I know my parents always told me and still tell me that they love me everyday. I know Tommy didn't have that so much from his father, but he did from his mom. I just want Micah to realize he's loved by more people than just his father," At this Ephram kissed her.  
  
"I know we're young, but I hope I love you like this forever," he said stroking her cheek with his thumb, "And I'm pretty sure I will," she threw her arms around him as best she could for leaning across the car. "And if I do, and if you do," he continued, "then our children will have the best mom in the whole world,"  
  
Amy didn't know it, but she was one of the most fortunate women in the world. She had two very sweet, very gentle, generous men in love with her. And while she only knew about one of them, Ephram, she knew that Tommy wasn't just any old guy either, he was special too.  
  
"I love you so much," was all she could eek out before she kissed him once again before getting out of the car, "I'll call you tomorrow," as she ran to the door of her house. Ephram had seen his girlfriend grow so much in the past few days, and as much as he wished he was responsible for it, he knew it was Tommy. This didn't make him angry, however.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"I steal a kiss from her sleeping shadow moves  
  
Cause I'll always miss her wherever she goes  
  
And I'll always need her more than she could ever need me  
  
I need someone to ease my mind"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
Bright was sitting on the couch, dozing off when Amy walked in the house. He half snored, waking himself up and wiping the drool from his chin. "Where the hell have you been?"  
  
"I thought Dr. Brown told you guys," she said, worried.  
  
"He did, I just want the real story," he still wasn't completely awake.  
  
"That IS the real story," she said not angrily but with passion, "Look, it's sweet that you waited up for me, really. But I'm fine."  
  
"I can't believe Callahan has a kid!" he said shoving some stale popcorn in his mouth.  
  
"Yeah, it's a pretty hard situation, but he handles it well,"  
  
"He won't be for much longer. His dad called here looking for him, didn't you know?" he asked nervously.  
  
"No, how would we KNOW?!" she said, her voice carrying throughout the house.  
  
"Shh, mom and dad are asleep. I thought Dad called Dr. Brown," he continued.  
  
"No . . . well what did Mr. Callahan say?" she asked biting her lip. She didn't think this day could get any worse.  
  
"He said he's looking for Tommy and Micah, said if Tommy doesn't bring Micah back he's calling the police because it's kidnapping," he said chewing.  
  
"Oh my God, NO! How can this be? Mr. Callahan doesn't DESERVE to have Micah living there. He'll have to grow up just like Tommy did," tears welling in her eyes for about the twelfth time that weekend.  
  
"Look, calm down, Dad's going to take care of everything tomorrow, there's no use in calling the Brown house now and riling everyone up. Call first thing in the morning or something,"  
  
"What? I think they have the right to know that they might be in trouble with the police . . ."  
  
"Amy, just wait, okay? Let them breathe a little. Nothing's supposed to happen for a few days anyway,"  
  
"What good will waiting do?" she asked pushing her hair out of her face.  
  
"It'll give Dad, an adult, the chance to talk with Dr. Brown and come up with a good way to handle things, plus they can't report a missing child unless they've been gone for 24 hours or so, I think."  
  
Amy sighed. While she didn't exactly agree with the idea, she didn't have the energy to oppose everyone in her family's plan. "Fine, I'm going to bed,"  
  
"Hey," he said gently now, patting her on the back, "I'm glad you're okay,"  
  
"Thanks," she said placing her head on her brother's shoulder for a second. "I'll see you tomorrow then,"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"But sometimes a someone is so hard to find  
  
And I'll do anything to keep her here tonite  
  
And I'll say anything to make her feel alright  
  
And I'll be anything to keep her here tonite  
  
Cause I want you to stay, with me  
  
I need you tonite"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
Ephram entered the house and saw that Tommy was no longer on the couch. Obviously unaware of the new danger that lurked, he fell fast asleep under the blankets. It wasn't until about three AM that he heard Micah crying. "So this is what it's like to have a little kid in the house," he whispered to himself. "As cute as that little kid is, I don't think I could be a dad right now,"  
  
He didn't know it but Dr. Brown was standing right behind the couch. He had heard the crying and come down stairs to get away from it for a little bit. Delia hadn't woken up in the middle of the night for such a long time that he began to forget what it was like.  
  
"I'm glad you see it my way," Andy said to his son. Ephram jumped up, not from embarrassment that his dad heard him, but because he didn't expect anyone else to be on the main floor.  
  
"Micah wake you up too?" he said laughing and stretching his arms.  
  
"Yeah, what time did you get home, anyway?" he asked drinking orange juice out of the carton. At this Ephram laughed.  
  
"About three hours ago. We had a few more incidents than we would've hoped for,"  
  
"Like a surprise visit from Kayla?" he asked raising his eyebrows and laughing, "I thought you hated her."  
  
*Here we go* Ephram thought, rolling his eyes. "Not anymore. Anyways how'd you even know she was here?" trying to put the pieces together.  
  
"I'm a light sleeper. I heard everything that happened. That, and I saw the kitchen,"  
  
"We cleaned it up . . ." he slowly replied. He was certain there was no proof.  
  
"Next time you're planning on making the kitchen look like it hasn't been through WWIII, try cleaning the ceiling too," he said winking, "oh, that and someone, I think it was Amy, wrote "death to Kayla" on the inside of the bathroom door in frosting . . ."  
  
Ephram needed a laugh, and he certainly got one. "Sounds right, Amy doesn't exactly approve of her,"  
  
"Not too long ago you didn't either," he sat down next to his son, "You're awfully cozy with her all the sudden,"  
  
Ephram didn't like where this was going so he put up his defenses. "It's not what you think. You know I love Amy,"  
  
"I know you do, but I also know you loved Madison,"  
  
"PLEASE don't drag her into this again," he said squeezing his temples with his palms.  
  
"I'm just saying you're young. You fall in and out of 'love,'" he said making quotation hand gestures, "quickly,"  
  
"Amy's all I've ever wanted, Dad. I'm not falling out of love with her anytime soon,"  
  
"She's a sweetheart, there's no mistaking that, but you have to sit back and think before you carve things in stone, son,"  
  
"Where's all this coming from?!" he asked loudly, figuring that everyone was already awake from Micah, "not too long ago you ENCOURAGED me to love her, to never give up!"  
  
"Maybe I'm just scared that you're moving too quickly," his father said quietly, looking at the floor.  
  
"I know what I'm doing. The only one I love is Amy. I don't feel anything for Kayla, and even if I did it'd be no match for what I feel for Amy."  
  
"I'm just trying to help you, that's all. Trying to save you from what I went through," He hadn't ever talked about this with his son, but he knew it was time.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"She comes to me like an angel out of time  
  
As I play the part of a saint on my knees  
  
There are some things I'll live without  
  
But I want you to know that I need you right now"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked, becoming more understanding.  
  
"I never told you this before, because I didn't think you'd understand, but you're sixteen now and you're already dealing with a lot of things that will end up making you grow up faster than a lot of kids your age," Andy breathed. He had so much faith in his son. As he looked at him he saw a spark of when he was young and a spark of his late wife, Julia. These things alone gave him the courage to tell his story. "When I was young, about eighteen or so, I was in love with a girl I had been chasing for a few years. She finally loved me too and I proposed to her one night. She accepted and we were happy for awhile but we never made it to the wedding. Somewhere along the line she met someone else, and while she claims she never meant to fall in love with him, it was inevitable; the way she talked about him, looked at him . . . and so we broke off the engagement. Oh, I was down for awhile, thought I'd never love another, but then I met your mom. At first she annoyed me, mostly because she was so good at everything she did. Later I realized I wasn't annoyed at all, I was in love."  
  
"Wow, so you're saying you never would've met mom if it weren't for your incredibly poor judgment skills?" he said trying to lighten the moment, seeing the tension in his father's eyes and wanting to alleviate it.  
  
"Something like that," he said smiling.  
  
"So what you're telling me is . . .?" he asked geniuinly trying to understand.  
  
"All I'm saying is that you and Amy aren't married. I know you're in love but I also know you're young. I just want you to be realistic, Eph, that's all. If something happens between you two I don't want you to feel like you're no good; whether it be because you love another or she does."  
  
Because Micah had stopped crying, Andy Brown made his way up the stairs in a successful attempt to fall back asleep. For Ephram, however, sleep wouldn't come so easily.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"Suffer my desire  
  
Suffer my desire  
  
Suffer my desire for you" 


	31. Sick Cycle Carousel

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 30 uses "Sick Cycle Carousel" by Lifehouse  
  
Chapter 30: Sick Cycle Carousel  
  
"Wake up time!" Micah screamed at three AM as his father rubbed his forehead out of distress. The boy was bouncing up and down and rather happy considering he was crying minutes before.  
  
"Well you HAVE been sleeping for a pretty long time," Tommy said drowsily because he hadn't, "and I guess it's your wake up time, but it's not really daddy's yet so . . ."  
  
"Breakfast time?!" He continued jumping until finally Delia reentered Ephram's room. She had left when Tommy dragged himself up the stairs.  
  
"I'm kinda awake too, actually," she said yawning and stretching. "I know I'm only ten . . . but maybe Micah and I could watch cartoons or something," she suggested, seeing the circles under Tommy's eyes.  
  
"YEAH!" Micah yelled, and Tommy nodded, signifying that it was okay. He laid his head back down on the floor and tried dozing off but found himself dreaming once again of the only thing in his life he knew he couldn't ever have, no matter how much he tried; Amy. He wasn't quite sure when it happened, when he started seeing her as anything more than just a friend, but he guessed it was around the time she started offering everything of herself to make sure he and Micah were okay.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"If shame had a face I think it  
  
would kind of look like mine  
  
If it had a home would it be my eyes  
  
Would you believe me if I said I'm tired of this  
  
Well here we go now one more time  
  
I tried to climb your steps  
  
I tried to chase you down  
  
I tried to see how low I could get it down to the ground  
  
I tried to earn my way  
  
I tried to tame this mind  
  
You better believe that I tried to beat this"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
Well, he wasn't going to get her, he figured, no mater what, and he needed to keep believing that or else he'd have a really big problem living under the same roof with Ephram, her boyfriend. Sure, Ephram was his friend too, but he knew eventually, as they grew closer, he'd end up hearing stories about how much he loved Amy and how he wanted to marry her. To those stories Tommy would bite his tongue and smile, pretending that there was no one else in the world Amy should be with.  
  
The phone rang about 5 hours later, at eight AM. Dr. Andrew Brown lifted it off the receiver annoyed, but forced his voice to sound otherwise. "Hello?"  
  
"Andy, this is Harold," Amy's father spoke with seemingly shaky words.  
  
"Pretty early isn't it?" he suggested, letting his head fall back down on the pillow.  
  
"Not for the news I have," Harold said as Andy listened up, "Thomas Callahan's father is looking for him. He demands that Micah is returned or he will call the police,"  
  
"That's not going to happen," Andy said closing his eyes, "We have every type of proof in the world that no child should be under Mr. Callahan's care,"  
  
"Starting with what?" he asked intrigued.  
  
"Tommy's dad hit him the day before they left, so he still has a bruise,"  
  
"Bruises can come from anywhere, Andrew, that's not enough!"  
  
"Well we can't hide the fact that Micah and Tommy are here for very long. Yes, Mr. Callahan hasn't ever heard of Ephram being Tommy's friend so it'll work for a little while, but for how long?"  
  
"How much do we know about Tommy, really?" He asked not sounding judgmental for once, but more concerned. "Is he an only child? How long have they lived in Everwood? What's his dad's occupation? How about his mom?"  
  
"I hate to say this, but being that Tommy's dad knows Amy's name she could be in danger," Andy said realistically.  
  
"Yes, Andrew, I know, and that is why this has to end. That man isn't coming anywhere near my family or Tommy and Micah,"  
  
"Well we have nothing so far . . . so he's going to call the police . . . all we can do is let Tommy know and ask him if he has any ideas. I mean, he's had to have thought this out before. I'll talk to him this morning. Just tell Amy it's better if she stays away from Tommy and Ephram and Micah until this all gets taken care of,"  
  
"That's very considerate of you, Andy. I just don't think she'll be too pleased when I tell her . . ."  
  
"Ephram would want her to be safe,"  
  
"Yes, he's a good young man. Okay, well, let me know when you find more out, okay?"  
  
"Alright," Andy said, hanging up the phone and sighing. Nothing about this mess was getting any easier.  
  
Delia and Micah sat on the couch watching Spongebob Squarepants and laughing as if it were the funniest show in the world. Tommy was pretty Micah understood any of the jokes, but he laughed like he did. Clad in his pajamas, the last thing on Tommy's mind was his father. Ephram had just showered and gotten dressed when he saw everyone laughing at TV. If only things could stay that easy.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"[CHORUS]  
  
So when will this end it goes on and on  
  
Over and over and over again  
  
Keep spinning around I know that it won't stop  
  
Till I step down from this for good  
  
I never thought I'd end up here  
  
Never thought I'd be standing where I am  
  
I guess I kinda thought it would be easier than this  
  
I guess I was wrong now one more time"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"Morning, man," Ephram said to a half drowsy Tommy.  
  
"Hey, what's up?" he said, feeling insanely guilty about dreaming about his new friend's girlfriend.  
  
"What'd you want to do today? I was thinking maybe we could go hang out at the mall or something. I'm sure Amy would be all for it,"  
  
"You think she'll want to come over again today after what happened last night?" Tommy asked sitting next to his son on the couch.  
  
"Yeah, everything's fine with her now," he said smiling dreamily.  
  
"Yeah, give her a call then," he said blushing then turning to his son, "morning Micah, did you eat breakfast?"  
  
"Yes, Deweea got me a pop tart," he smiled, crumbs and filling all over his little cheeks. Delia smiled proudly. She hadn't ever taken care of anyone like that before.  
  
"Well wasn't that sweet of her?" Tommy said kissing Delia on the cheek and she immediately reddened. Bright didn't seem like her only hope anymore. Tommy noticed this and smiled.  
  
Ephram picked up the phone, intending to call Amy and invite her to the mall when Andy walked in the room. "Ephram, who're you calling?"  
  
"Amy, Tommy and I want to go shopping with her," he said smiling.  
  
"That's not a good idea," he said sadly, trying to figure out a way to let the boys know what was going on.  
  
"Look, I remember what you said about Amy and I not being married and about how we may find other people but . . . " Ephram said rolling his eyes. Tommy's eyes, however, brightened with hope.  
  
"It's not that," Andy said asking Tommy and Ephram to follow him into the kitchen. "Sit down," he motioned toward the kitchen table.  
  
"What's this all about?" Ephram said, becoming worried.  
  
"Amy's dad called this morning. Tommy your dad called their house and is looking for you,"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````  
  
"I tried to climb your steps  
  
I tried to chase you down  
  
I tried to see how long I could get it down to the ground  
  
I tried to earn my way  
  
I tried to tame this mind  
  
You better believe that I tried to beat this"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"Bastard, I knew he'd use her name against me," he said through gritted teeth.  
  
"He's threatening to call the police if you don't return Micah to him,"  
  
"Like hell I will," he said becoming red with anger.  
  
"You're safe here for a few days, but you should lay low. Going to the mall today is fine, but after today you should stick around here. They don't know Ephram and you are friends, so it should be okay for now,"  
  
"This cannot be happening," Ephram said putting his head down on his arms which were lying on the table.  
  
"Dr. Abbott and I decided its better if Amy just stays away from you guys until this is all figured out. She could be in danger,"  
  
"Everything I do messes something up for someone else," Tommy said becoming angry with himself. "I never meant to get any of you involved. And now Amy . . ." his heart clenched in his chest.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"So when will this end it goes on and on  
  
Over and over and over again  
  
Keep spinning around I know that it won't stop  
  
Till I step down from this for good  
  
Sick cycle carousel  
  
This is a sick sycle, yeah  
  
Sick cycle carousel  
  
This is a sick cycle, yeah"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"We'll work this out son, I promise. In the meantime it looks like you and Ephram have lots of time to hang out. Oh, and Tommy, when you guys get back I'd like to ask you some questions about your family. Dr. Abbott and I are going to do all we can to make sure Micah isn't put under your father's care,"  
  
"Thanks, Dr. Brown. You have no idea how much this means to us,"  
  
The guys looked at each other and laughed. They hadn't ever really wanted to "hang out" without Amy. Ephram knew that Tommy was in trouble and he never really turned down a new friend.  
  
"Alright, well, to the mall then," Ephram said.  
  
"Without Amy?" Tommy said, trying not to be obvious.  
  
"Well, Chirstmas is in about a week and I need to get her a present anyway. So it's probably better she's not coming with."  
  
Tommy smiled, he hadn't even thought of getting her a present. He certainly should after all she's done, but he didn't have any idea of what to get her. He ran upstairs and got dressed so they could leave. The guys grabbed their coats, said bye to Micah and everyone and headed out to the Everwood mall.  
  
"Bye Daddy! Deweea and I are gonna watch Finding Nemo now!" he said waving, his eyes bright and so innocent. This child didn't deserve to be thrown around like he was in danger of. He deserved the best care in the whole world. Andy Brown sat next to the two children. He was taking a liking to Micah too.  
  
"Your Daddy's really cool, isn't he?" he asked the small boy who was dancing around now.  
  
"The best daddy in the whole world!" he said now fixing his eyes on the movie. Andy sighed.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"So when will this end it goes on and on  
  
Over and over and over again  
  
Keep spinning around I know that it won't stop  
  
Till I step down from this for good  
  
So when will this end it goes on and on  
  
Over and over and over again  
  
Keep spinning around I know that it won't stop  
  
Till I step down from this for good  
  
Sick cycle carousel  
  
Sick cycle carousel  
  
Sick cycle carousel..." 


	32. Last Christmas

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 31 uses "Last Christmas" by WHAM!  
  
Chapter 31: Last Christmas  
  
"What do you think about this?" Ephram asked holding up a soft looking, pink sweater that looked just about Amy's size. He'd bought Amy things before, for last Christmas and her birthday, but now he was her boyfriend and nothing seemed perfect enough. Tommy looked at him oddly and started laughing. "What the hell's so funny?" Ephram asked becoming paranoid.  
  
"The way you're holding that up to yourself like you were going to wear it, that's what," he said breaking out into hysterics.  
  
"Alright, alright," he said lowering it, "it's not THAT funny," he said, cheeks turning red. "But seriously, do you think she'll like it or no?"  
  
"Well, she does like pink . . . but don't you think a sweater's too impersonal?"  
  
"I hadn't thought about it that way . . . this just looks like it'd be so nice for her. It's warm, it's soft," he said.  
  
"Dude, I think you just want the sweater for yourself," he said, again starting to laugh.  
  
"Remind me again why you're here?" he said putting the sweater back on the table.  
  
"Hey, come on, I'm just having fun. Let's go find a nice gift for Amy, okay?" he said patting him on the back.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"Last Christmas, I gave you my heart  
But the very next day you gave it away  
This year, to save me from tears  
I'll give it to someone special  
  
Last Christmas, I gave you my heart  
But the very next day you gave it away  
This year, to save me from tears  
I'll give it to someone special"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
Ephram wanted to go to the music store, but Tommy rolled his eyes and dragged him forward. It seemed like he was more concerned with her present than Ephram, but that wasn't the case. Ephram just didn't want to mess anything up. After a few more stores, the guys came upon a jewelry store. Ephram's breath caught in his chest,  
  
"I don't know how much you were planning on spending . . ." Tommy said slowly.  
  
"I don't know, I mean, I love her to death, but there's no way I can afford any of this. Could you?" he asked oblivious to the fact that this was the wrong question to ask Tommy,  
  
"For Amy . . . er. You mean . . .?" he stuttered, "you mean if I had a girlfriend?" he finally managed to ask.  
  
"I wouldn't expect you to spend that on Amy. You haven't known her that long, and while I know you're her best friend, that's a lot of money, and you have a son."  
  
Not wanting to tell Ephram that he would gladly spend that much money on Amy if it wouldn't cause such awkwardness between him and Ephram or Amy, he resorted to saying, "It's not about money, E, it's about the thought,"  
  
"Yeah, I know . . . I just want her to know how much she means to me . . ."  
  
"She already knows," he said smiling though inside crying.  
  
After a few more hours Ephram finally decided to get her the sweater. And while Tommy didn't say anything more about how attached his new friend "E" had become to it, he realized none of that mattered; that when she wore it Ephram be the one holding her; be the one who got to stay warm in her arms, not him. "She'll love it," was all he could say as Ephram brought it up to the counter to pay for it.  
  
"What are you going to get her?" Ephram asked, proud that his shopping was finally finished; even it could've ended a few hours earlier had he just demanded that he was getting the sweater.  
  
"Well, like you said, I haven't known her for very long," he mumbled.  
  
"Oh I didn't mean to be like that," Ephram said feeling bad.  
  
"No, I just meant that I don't know what she all likes. But I did hear her mention something about this necklace we saw in the Boston Store . . ." he looked down.  
  
"Tommy! We just spent hours looking for the perfect gift for me to give her and you knew the whole time?!"  
  
"You liked the sweater so much . . . I . . ." he stuttered, trying to come up with an excuse; Ephram had no idea why he'd need one.  
  
"Hey, its no big deal, I was just giving you shit to get back at you for your comment about the sweater and me," he said laughing. "Let's go get that necklace for you, okay?" A rush of relief went through Tommy, knowing that Ephram had no clue that he was falling in love with his girlfriend.  
  
The necklace was indeed one of the most elegant ones at the store, and while it wasn't all that expensive, it certainly looked fit for Amy. Tommy ran his fingers along the chain; it was silver, Amy's preference. The pendant was a shiny rose that he imagined would hang beautifully on her. He thought back to when she had first seen it,  
  
"I have so many necklaces . . . and none of them seem to fit me," she said biting her lip. It was only one of the first days they had met and she was just trying to come up with things to say to him. She walked along the counter, not really paying attention to any in particular. She wasn't even sure why they had gone in the Boston Store in the first place. Tommy watched her with loving eyes. She was the most beautiful girl he had seen since Abby . . . his thoughts were interrupted when Amy's eyes caught a glimpse of the rose necklace and she let out a little squeak. Oh how he had wanted to kiss her just then.  
  
"Oh wow," was all she could say at first, "look at that one!" she seemed so excited. Tommy hadn't ever seen anyone become so happy over jewelry that was at a store before. "It's so pretty . . ." she continued. The store was closing in a few minutes and so they had to leave. It was the last time she saw it, he assumed.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"Once bitten and twice shy  
I keep my distance but tears still catch my eye  
Tell me, baby, do you recognize me?  
It's been a year; it doesn't surprise me  
  
Happy Christmas--I wrapped it up and sent it  
With a note saying, "I love you"; I meant it  
Now I know what a fool I've been  
But if you kissed me now, I know you'd fool me again"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````  
  
Snapping back into present time, Tommy now held the small rose in his hand, watching it sparkle, "this is it,"  
  
"And you made fun of me for a sweater?" Ephram teased, "You're practically tearing up over a necklace." Ephram didn't know; if he had maybe he'd be wondering why she had shared such a moment with Tommy and not him.  
  
"Yeah," he tried laughing it off, "guess we're even now, huh?" Christmas was always special to Tommy, or at least he dreamed and wanted them to be. Last year around this time he had gone on a few dates with a girl from school and it had turned out poorly, mostly because he was still getting over his drug problem. He made it his goal to make this the best Christmas ever; and he was happy, because he knew Amy this year.  
  
The day was young, surprisingly enough, even though they had wandered around the mall for a few hours. Ephram decided that since he was the driver he would pick when they left . . . and that would not be before he went the music store. It wasn't that Tommy didn't like music, he just didn't want to be around the mall any longer than he had to in case the police were out for him.  
  
"You didn't seem to be in a hurry when you decided the sweater sucked," Ephram said.  
  
"Will you give that up, man?" Tommy joked, trying to lighten up, "Just go in the damn store and get whatever you need, I'll be at the food court,"  
  
"I don't really think you should go off by yourself," Ephram said, remembering his dad's words.  
  
"I'm fine, besides, I'll be back in a little while," he said waving as he walked away. Tommy picked up his cell phone to call the house and check on Micah. It rang a few times and then Delia finally answered.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"Last Christmas, I gave you my heart  
But the very next day, you gave it away  
This year, to save me from tears  
I'll give it to someone special"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"Hey, it's Tommy. How're things with Micah?"  
  
"He fell asleep a few minutes ago when we were watching the lion king,"  
  
"Aren't you sick of watching TV with him all day?" he asked, knowing ten year olds don't often have patience.  
  
"Not really, I like being the oldest one in the house for today,"  
  
"Hey, can I talk to your Dad?"  
  
"Sure," she said handing Andy the phone.  
  
"Tommy, everything okay?" Dr. Brown asked.  
  
"Yeah, did my dad call or anything I should worry about?"  
  
"No, not so far. Dr. Abbott's on his way here. When you get home we want to talk to you,"  
  
"Yeah, okay," he said and they hung up.  
  
After he had ordered his slice of pizza, he decided it'd be better if he ate it on the way back to the music store. He wasn't watching where he was going at all when he ran into someone; a girl. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry," he said before he looked at her.  
  
"Tommy, right?" a very dreamy eyed Kayla smiled as she picked herself up off the ground.  
  
"Right," he said reluctantly.  
  
"I'm Kayla, you know, Amy's . . ."  
  
"Oh, I know who you are," he said interrupting her and rolling his eyes.  
  
"I was just talking to Ephram the other day, thought maybe you and I could go out for a little coffee sometime," she said moving closer to him.  
  
"Um, we're kind of in a rush today," he said trying to get away from her before she noticed the bag with the necklace.  
  
"Oh, it doesn't have to be today, necessarily," she winked, then her eyes fell to the bag, "Oh my, what's this?" she said lifting it.  
  
"It's nothing," he said pulling it back.  
  
"Yes it is, let me see it!" She squealed. Tommy understood how Amy could become easily annoyed with her. He tried pulling it back again but it was too late, she had already removed it from the package. "Oh wow, this is beautiful," she said fingering it.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
"A crowded room, friends with tired eyes  
I'm hiding from you and your soul of ice  
My God, I thought you were someone to rely on  
Me, I guess I was a shoulder to cry on  
  
A face on a lover with a fire in his heart  
A man under cover, but you tore me apart  
Ooh, now I've found a real love  
You'll never fool me again"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
"Yes, isn't it? Now give it back!" he said pulling it away.  
  
"Is that for Amy?" she asked smiling devilishly.  
  
"Its no big deal," he said putting it back in the bag.  
  
"Right," she said sarcastically, squeezing his cheeks, "and I'm the queen of England." Not knowing how to respond, Tommy was relieved when Ephram appeared in front of them.  
  
"Kayla, hi," he said happily, "Tommy and I were just leaving, we'll see you around though, okay? Drop by sometime," as they walked away,  
  
"I . . ." she started but they were already gone.  
  
"She tried hitting on you didn't she?" Ephram asked as they approached his car.  
  
"Among other things," he said and they were on their way home. Tommy would be put through quite a bit of interrogating when he got to his new 'home,' perhaps more than he would've bargained for.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"Last Christmas, I gave you my heart  
But the very next day, you gave it away  
This year, to save me from tears  
I'll give it to someone special  
  
A face on a lover with a fire in his heart  
A man under cover, but you tore him apart  
Maybe next year I'll give it to someone  
I'll give it to someone special, special  
Someone...someone  
I'll give it to someone  
I'll give it to someone special, special" 


	33. Amy's Song

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 32 uses "Amy's Song" by Switchfoot  
  
Chapter 32: Amy's Song  
  
Amy sat on her bed, looking out the window; she had been doing this all day. When she left Ephram's the night before, she thought she'd be spending the entire day with he and Tommy again today, but she was wrong. Her Dad had called Dr. Brown and then immediately went into her room to wake her. She awoke with a smile, having just left Ephram in a dream when she saw her father's concerned eyes peering down at her.  
  
"Hi, Dad," she said lazily.  
  
"Amy, we need to talk," he said sitting down on her bed.  
  
"If this is about Tommy's dad then I already know. Bright told me last night. Did you call Ephram's house yet?" she asked nervously.  
  
"Yes, I called Dr. Brown this morning . . . we decided its best if you just keep your distance from Ephram and Tommy for awhile," he said looking at his daughter as her face dropped.  
  
"What?! No, I'm already in this, why should they be taking care of everything?" she asked angrily.  
  
"Mr. Callahan already knows about you, he called here, remember? He doesn't know about Ephram, so Tommy and his son will be okay there for awhile,"  
  
"This isn't fair, I'm not in any danger!" she said shouting now.  
  
"I'm on my way to the Brown's house right now, and I better NOT see you there for awhile," he said sternly, then as he saw her tears flowing, lightened up, "I love you, I just don't want anything to happen to you," he said kissing the top of her head and leaving for Dr. Brown's.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"Amy's gone  
  
And time rolls on  
  
How far? How fast? How long?  
  
The last time we saw Amy  
  
She was headed off for the shore  
  
Fighting off the volatile gray skies"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
Meanwhile, the Callahan house was filled with police officers searching the area and questioning Mrs. Callahan. She stood there with her hands on her face, tears in her eyes, shaking. She wouldn't tell them, even though she knew, where her son and grandson were; no matter what.  
  
"Mrs. Callahan, what's the last thing your son said to you before he left?"  
  
"He said he loved me," she said honestly.  
  
"And that's all?" the officer asked her seriously.  
  
She was never one to lie to people, but if she told the truth this time, she'd be endangering her son's life. "That's all," she said with tear filled eyes.  
  
Amy picked up her cell and dialed Tommy's number. She knew better than to call Ephram's house, and he didn't have a cell phone, so it was all she could do. The guys were still on their way home, with their music turned all the way up. They couldn't hear it ringing, even though it was sitting on the dashboard right in front of Tommy. Everything was fine for awhile, Amy just figured she'd leave a voice mail, but when Ephram took too sharp of a turn and the phone fell, it pressed against the seat belt buckle and turned on. The only things she heard were music blasting and this,  
  
"EVERYTHING YOU SAY TO ME," Tommy sang,  
  
"HEY, YOU GUYS!!!!" Amy was screaming into the phone, trying to get their attention, but they just kept going.  
  
"BRINGS ME ONE STEP CLOSER TO THE EDGE," Ephram sang after him.  
  
"PICK UP THE PHONE, GOD!!!" she yelled again.  
  
"AND I'M ABOUT TO BREAK!" They both sang at once.  
  
Being out of breath, half from laughing and half from screaming, Amy was relieved when the song ended and she'd finally get their attention.  
  
"HEY, ONE OF YOU," she spoke at a louder volume than she normally would.  
  
"E, is someone talking?" Tommy said panicking.  
  
"I think you've got a little too much of someone on your mind," Ephram said winking. Tommy couldn't figure out what he meant by that so he just said,  
  
"What? Who?"  
  
"Kayla maybe? I saw the way you were looking at her when she walked away,"  
  
"You are so wrong right now, you don't even KNOW how wrong you are," Tommy said laughing.  
  
Amy heard all of this too, causing not only more fury over Kayla, but her to almost listen in on more of the conversation. She decided it against it though, she couldn't afford a phone bill for as long as she would've wanted to listen. At the rate these guys were talking it was providing more gossip than a coffee clutch ever could . . . and she wouldn't even get to one of those till she was older.  
  
"THOMAS!" She screamed, almost busting a lung now. He jumped.  
  
"Did you hear that? They're calling me!" he said laughing. Ephram looked down at the lit phone and broke out into laugher himself.  
  
"Yeah, someone's calling you alright, but it's not a supernatural being, it's coming from your phone," he pointed. Tommy reddened. Ephram and Tommy bonded that day, even if it was from just making fun of each other. Hell, that's how some guys do bond.  
  
Tommy lifted his phone to his ear to hear Amy's sweet laugh. He instantly knew it was her. His blush prolonged, luckily Ephram didn't catch on. "Amy . . .?" he said slowly, waiting for her to stop laughing, but her laughter did not cease.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
She said now begins forever  
  
And that no one knows their time  
  
We bid farewell not knowing  
  
That might be out last goodbye  
  
Amy was a fighter  
  
She cut like Casius Clay  
  
She burned like a fire  
  
Despite these rains  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````  
  
"Hey, okay, you can laugh at me all you want, but it's your cell bill," he said jokingly.  
  
"Alright, I'm sorry," she said calming down now. "How are you?" This questioned brightened Tommy's day. It had been so long since someone asked him that.  
  
"I'm . . . having a really awesome day," he said proudly, "how are you holding up?"  
  
"Not too well, but the laugh helped," she said, smiling although he was unaware of it.  
  
"Amy, I owe you an apology," he said sadly, then looked to Ephram who was still laughing from earlier, "I owe all you guys an apology, I ruined everyone's holiday this year,"  
  
Ephram couldn't hear what Amy said to him on the other side of the line, but it was probably better that he didn't. She spoke with gentle words, almost crying herself, "Tommy, this holiday is great because of you . . . I've never had a friend like you before," his stomach twitched, he wanted to tell her he loved her right then and there, but he couldn't, he never could.  
  
"Really?" Was all he could say because Ephram was right there. "Thanks."  
  
"I'm glad I got to tell you that, Tommy, I don't want you feeling bad. None of this is the reason I called though," she stopped, "I want to see you guys,"  
  
"No, Amy you can't," he said; it took every single cell in his body to say what he just had. Ephram looked alarmed,  
  
"What's she talking about?" he asked, voice full of worry.  
  
Tommy reluctantly handed him the phone, and Ephram said, "Amy, sweetie, what's wrong?"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
"Where time was a question  
  
She only knew one song  
  
She's singing, How far, how fast,  
  
how long?  
  
Salvation is a fire  
  
In the midnight of the soul  
  
It lights up like a can of gasoline  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````  
  
She began to cry now as she heard her boyfriend's voice. "I want to see you guys," truth be told, she wasn't even sure why she was crying about all this. Yes, she'd miss them, but somewhere in the middle of it all she was thrown in the mix of caring for Micah, loving Ephram, and needing Tommy . . .  
  
"Tommy's right, you can't do that," he said slowly, hearing her cries in the distance, "as much as I want to see you," she hung up on him, being so overwhelmed.  
  
"What happened, E?" Tommy asked him, noticing the crushed and broken look in his eyes.  
  
"She hung up on me," he said, voice very upset and confused.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"Yeah, she's a freedom fighter  
  
She's a stand up kind of girl  
  
She's out to start a fire  
  
In a bar code plastic world  
  
Amy was a fighter  
  
She cut like Casius Clay  
  
She burned like a fire  
  
Despite these rains  
  
When everything stops moving  
  
And I stop to catch my breath  
  
And ride my train of thought  
  
All the way round"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
They drove in silence for awhile. Tommy wasn't sure what to say, Ephram wasn't sure what Amy's problem was. She needed him there with her to comfort her but he couldn't be because they'd be endangering themselves. As the drove past the Abbott house on their way home, they saw Amy come running toward the car. Pulling over, Ephram invited her to hop in as they'd wait on the side of the road. Tommy's lost all train of thought,  
  
"Amy what are you DOING?" he asked her worried.  
  
"Listen, how much danger can we be in with the police? We'll just tell them about your Dad, we shouldn't have to look like the bad guys," she said, tears freely flowing down her cheeks.  
  
Ephram hopped out of the car and into the backseat, pulling Amy into his arms. He rocked her back and forth, whispering sweet "I love you,'s" and "It's going to be okay,'s." Minutes seemed like days as the three teens knew this was the last place they should be. And as Tommy looked into the rearview mirror, he saw two things that disturbed him. He saw Amy kissing Ephram like she'd never see him again, oh how he pictured himself as Ephram just then, wished he could be Ephram; and he saw a very suspicious looking black van parked a few houses behind them. . .  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
"My thoughts return to Amy  
  
And the fire she's begun  
  
She came when we were freezing  
  
And left us burning up  
  
Amy was a fighter  
  
She cut like Casius Clay  
  
She burned like a fire  
  
Despite these rains  
  
The last time we saw Amy . . . "  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
A/N: Okay everyone, finals are almost complete, but that means Winter Break is around the corner. Since I won't be sitting for endless hours in front of my computer in my dorm room, I don't think there will be daily updates until the end of January. This, however, does not mean I won't be updating. I'll try updating as frequently as I can during break, and I need you guys to help me by reviewing so I know how you feel about this story. One of the things I'm curious about is if you'd rather see Amy/Ephram together or Amy/Tommy together. I thought I had it all figured out, but recently I've started enjoying Tommy's character more and more. So send in what you think about that and anything else. Thanks for reading and reviewing! 


	34. I promise

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 33 uses "I promise," by Stacie Orrico  
  
Chapter 33: I promise  
  
"Hey, hey, knock it off a second," Tommy yelled, his eyes glaring nervously in the rearview mirror. His friends were quite obviously involved in their own moment rather than what was happening outside the car. "Hey! For real you guys!" he said, his voice becoming angrier.  
  
"What the hell is your problem?" Ephram asked agitated, but Amy touched the tip of his nose with her finger, calming him down into a smile.  
  
"Something's not right . . . that van, behind us . . . the guy hasn't left it once this whole time,"  
  
"Maybe he's waiting for someone," Amy said, breathless still from greeting Ephram.  
  
"That can't be it," Tommy said with certainty, "If that were it he'd probably have gone and rang the doorbell by now,"  
  
"Alright, alright, just start driving away and see what happens," Ephram suggested, feeling Amy's grip on his arm tighten up. Tommy hopped in the driver's seat and put the car into drive. Not pushing on the gas pedal, he let the car roll lightly, just to test the van's patience.  
  
"I don't like this," Amy said biting her lip, "Tommy just drive home,"  
  
"No, Amy we have to know," Ephram said rather insistently.  
  
"Ephram you can't decide for everyone here!" She yelled back, her voice shaky, "And I said drive HOME!"  
  
Tommy was in a quandary. While he wanted more than anything to listen to Amy, he wanted to get to the bottom of what was going on just as much as Ephram did. He looked back in the rear view mirror and saw that the car was beginning to follow them.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"Will I always be there for you?  
  
When you need someone, Will I be that one you need?  
  
Will I do all my best to, to protect you?  
  
When the tears get near your eyes  
  
Will I be the one that's by your side?  
  
Will I be there when you call me in the middle of the night?  
  
Will I keep the rain from falling down into your light?  
  
I promise, I promise  
  
I promise I will"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````  
  
"Shit, this is unbelievable!" Tommy said as he began to pick up speed.  
  
"If you don't drive home right now I'm getting out of this car and walking there!" Amy said trying to unbuckle her seatbelt, but Ephram held her hand so she wasn't able to.  
  
"If you think I'm letting you out of this car you've got another thing coming," he said sternly.  
  
"Everyone shut up! I can't even think with you two arguing!" Tommy said, sweat dripping from his brow as the van followed behind him at an uncomfortable distance. With each corner he turned, the van followed, with every mile it followed, Tommy grew more and more certain that it wasn't a stranger in that van; it was a man that was out to get him.  
  
"Pull into that gas station!" Amy suggested, as she sat worriedly next to Ephram.  
  
"Why?" Tommy asked, "He'll just get a better chance to do whatever it is he's trying to do,"  
  
"Amy has a point," Ephram commended her, "There are a lot of people in gas stations, we'd be safe. Just pretend we need a soda or something,"  
  
"Yeah, real good," Tommy said sarcastically, "and who do you think is going inside for the soda?"  
  
"I will," Ephram said pointing to himself. I'll get the license plate when I come back and we can call the police,"  
  
"No, we still can't call the police! Micah . . . remember?" Amy said sadly.  
  
"He's probably looking for me right now," Tommy said closing his eyes. He couldn't let harm come to him; not with his son waiting at home to see him again. "Look, just hurry up then so I can get home to him, okay E?" he said, his voice cracking.  
  
Sure enough the van pulled into the gas station and parked at the gas stall across from them. Ephram moved with quickness he didn't think possible and slipped into the quick stop store to grab some sodas. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve . . . there was no way he had ever dreamed this is how he and Amy would be spending the holidays. Part of him wanted to just tell Tommy they couldn't be involved anymore; that he and Amy's relationship was suffering because of everything, but the other half of him felt as if he were a part of what was going on. He and Tommy were just starting to become close, and he knew that if he suggested Amy stay away from him it could only make things worse. There was no way she'd let go of Tommy . . . and for the first time, as Ephram pulled a mountain dew from the coolers of that very gas station, he felt a pang of discomfort in his heart. He knew that Amy and Tommy were best friends, and that didn't bother him. Ephram began to feel that he wasn't being good enough to Amy; that Tommy was there for her all the time and this would have to change. He didn't want Tommy to change, HE was the one that wanted to start paying attention to her more.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"Will I take tender care of you?  
  
Take your darkest night and make it bright for you  
  
Will I be there to make you strong and to lean on?  
  
When this world has turned so cold  
  
Will I be the one that's there to hold?  
  
Will I be there when you call me in the middle of the night?  
  
Will I keep the rain from falling down into your light?  
  
I promise, I promise  
  
I promise I will"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
Tommy and Amy crouched down in the car so the man in the black van couldn't spot them. Something came over Tommy and he rolled over the seat and into the back with Amy. Bad move. Amy moved over to make room for him,  
  
"What are you doing? He's going to see you!" she said, her heart pounding heavily in her chest from worry.  
  
"I can't crouch enough up there . . . the steering wheel," he said rubbing his forehead. He noticed that Amy was crying again. "Why are you crying? Everything is going to be okay, I promise."  
  
"Promises aren't enough, Tommy . . ."  
  
"Sure they are," he said, not understanding. Her brow furrowed and more tears slid freely.  
  
"No. They aren't. Colin was a promise . . . it didn't mean anything," she said sniffling, "he's gone,"  
  
"What about Ephram? You love him, right?" he asked, even thought the words cut deeply into his heart.  
  
"More than life," she said closing her eyes.  
  
"Love is like a promise . . ." Tommy's words were about her, though she didn't know. She couldn't. All she could do was nod, and Tommy moved his hands away from her, knowing that she could never be his.  
  
"I don't believe in promises," she admitted. "Not anymore,"  
  
"Well that's too bad," he said looking at her with a friendly glow.  
  
"Why?" she asked calmly.  
  
"Because I was just about to promise you that I won't let anything happen to you,"  
  
"I won't believe you . . ."  
  
"You don't have to . . . but I still promise." He said looking away. They sat silently for a few more moments before changing the subject to a more comfortable one.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"Will I be there when you call me in the middle of the night?  
  
Will I keep the rain from falling down into your light?  
  
I promise, I promise  
  
I promise I will  
  
Yeah  
  
And I love you more every day  
  
And nothing will take that love away  
  
When you need someone  
  
I promise I'll be there for you (there for you)  
  
I promise"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
A few moments passed and Ephram was up at the counter about to pay for the drinks. Amy and Tommy hadn't been watching the van . . . they didn't know the man had gone inside. He now stood behind Ephram, committing his every feature to his memory for future use. Ephram turned, looking the man straight in the eye, having no idea who it was.  
  
"Damn lines, huh?" Ephram said lightly. The man nodded and smiled. He had dark brown hair and eyes that seemed all too familiar to Ephram, but then again, it was Everwood, he'd probably seen him before. After he paid he started out the door when he felt someone grab him from behind.  
  
"So are you and Micah going to get a place?" Amy said, her tears ceasing now, but they still weren't looking out the window.  
  
"I'd like to, once things settle down of course," he said smiling at her.  
  
"I can't wait till I'm out of my house," she said sighing, "it's not that I don't love my family, I just want to be on my own,"  
  
"You think you and Ephram will get married?" Tommy asked bluntly; he desperately wanted to know her take on it. Her eyes grew large, no one had ever asked her that before.  
  
"I'd like to someday. I mean, it's a ways off, but I think he's the one," she said dreamily. "Oh . . ." she said noticing his facial expression, "Tommy . . . don't worry, you'll find someone to love and she'll love Micah too,"  
  
*I already found her* he thought, but just nodded.  
  
A hand clenched around Ephram's mouth and although he struggled to break free, the man managed to get him into the van without anyone noticing. The man tossed him in the back, as if he were a prisoner being taken away in a police car, and as the doors shut, Ephram screamed and thrashed around.  
  
"Where the HELL are you taking me? WHO ARE YOU?!" He yelled angrily.  
  
"Soon you'll see," the man said as he drove away.  
  
Amy and Tommy had been so caught up in their small talk ( it was a nice reprieve from worrying about what was really going on ) that they didn't realize how long Ephram had been gone.  
  
"What's taking him so long?" Amy said peeking her head up to see out the window. "Oh God." She swallowed hard. "The van's gone!"  
  
"Good!" Tommy smiled, not understanding what she meant.  
  
"No. No. Not good. Ephram's gone too . . ." she said beginning to cry. "EPHRAM!"  
  
Tommy rested his face in his hands and sighed. How could this be happening?  
  
Ephram had run out of energy to yell and curse by the time they had pulled into a driveway. Opening his eyes, he was horrified, yet somehow not surprised, to be sitting in front of the Callahan house.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"Will I be there when you call me in the middle of the night?  
  
Will I keep the rain from falling down into your light?  
  
I promise, I promise  
  
I promise I will  
  
And I promise (and I promise)  
  
I promise (oh I promise you)  
  
I will be there when you call me (when you call me)  
  
I promise (I promise)  
  
I promise I will"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
A/N: Finally an update. I've been mad crazy all week but managed to find sometime this afternoon. Thanks for all the reviews; they were really helpful in helping me decide who Amy should be with. Just because things seem to be going in one direction right now in the story doesn't mean they won't turn around and end up the way you guys want (wink, wink) Thanks again and keep reading and reviewing! 


	35. When I'm Gone

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 34 uses "When I'm Gone," by Three Doors Down  
  
Chapter 34: When I'm Gone  
  
"Your Christmas won't be very merry this year, pal," Mr. Callahan said as he grabbed him and through him into a shed behind the house. "Make any noise and I'll give you something to cry about, got it?" he said spitting in his face.  
  
"I don't get why you're even doing this to me," Ephram said, trying to let the man's spit slide off his face.  
  
"Until you tell me where Thomas and Micah are, you'll be spending your holidays with me," he said staring him straight in the eye.  
  
"Now I understand why he wanted out so badly," Ephram said at the top of his lungs.  
  
"Look, I don't know who you are, kid, but I saw you with my son and that Abbott girl," he stopped and looked away in disgust, "All I need is your wallet and I'll be able to have a direct line to information about my sons,"  
  
"Not happening," he said closing his eyes, "I won't talk,"  
  
"Looks like my son and Ms. Abbott will be spending a little quality time together this holiday season, doesn't it?" he said evilly.  
  
"What the hell's that supposed to mean?" he asked cocky.  
  
"I'm just saying," he said smiling meanly, "that she's a very pretty girl . . . and I know how much Thomas fancies her," he saw Ephram's eyes narrow, "that's all I'm saying,"  
  
"You have no idea what either of your sons fancy, you don't give a damn about them." He said, knowing his words would most likely only cause him to be spit upon again; but spit upon he wasn't. Mr. Callahan instead took a step back and raised his leg into the air behind him. Swinging forcefully he sent his foot crashing into Ephram's shin. Ephram buckled at the knees and fell onto the dirty ground. Mr. Callahan smirked then spit on Ephram once again, "Merry Christmas, son," he said as he closed the shed doors.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"There's another world inside of me  
  
That you may never see  
  
There's secrets in this life  
  
That I can't hide  
  
Somewhere in this darkness  
  
There's a light that I can't find  
  
Maybe it's too far away...  
  
Maybe I'm just blind...  
  
Maybe I'm just blind..."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
Meanwhile, Amy and Tommy were driving around nervously looking for the black van and what they hoped would be signs of what happened to Ephram. Amy, of course, was out of her mind in worry. Her eyes were puffy, but not nearly as swollen and wounded as her heart.  
  
"Tomorrow's Christmas Eve, Tommy . . . he can't be gone . . ."  
  
"This is my fault," he said feeling the self-rage building inside of him.  
  
"Stop it right now!" she said seriously. He noted the tilt in her eyebrows.  
  
"What?" he asked sighing.  
  
"I'm so sick and tired of hearing you blame yourself for every single thing the goes wrong in life," she explained.  
  
"Well most of the time it is my fault! Ephram wouldn't have been taken away if it hadn't been for me. That man has to be my father. If not he's affiliated with him in some way,"  
  
"Well then wouldn't he just be at your house?" she asked nervously.  
  
"Most likely no," he explained, "Dad has a habit of taking his "captives" to a different location every time,"  
  
"What do you mean 'captives?' This isn't the first time?"  
  
"Oh definitely not. He's in some sort of American mafia, if that exists. If it doesn't it should because he's definitely the leader of something too similar. That's another reason why Micah and I left,"  
  
"We have to call the police," she said getting ready to keep talking if he tried to interject. And try he did,  
  
"Amy, no I . . ."  
  
"Tommy, I said stop blaming yourself, but that doesn't mean we can't take action about this. If anything, this is proof that your dad's a maniac. If it IS him, and we can prove it, there's now way they'll let him have custody of Micah," she explained, her eyes softening, "And Ephram . . ."  
  
He looked at the desperation in her eyes and he lost all will to argue with her. He reached into his pocket and took out his cell phone. "Here," he said handing it to her as she wiped away a tear, "Call the police, then call home,"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"So hold me when I'm here  
  
Right me when I'm wrong  
  
Hold me when I'm scared  
  
And love me when I'm gone  
  
Everything I am  
  
And everything you need  
  
I'll also be the one  
  
You wanted me to be  
  
I'll never let you down  
  
Even if I could  
  
I'd give up everything  
  
If only for your good  
  
So hold me when I'm here  
  
Right me when I'm wrong  
  
You can hold me when I'm scared  
  
You won't always be there  
  
So love me when I'm gone"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
Her hands shook as she dialed each number, "I'd like to report a hostage situation . . . I think . . . what? Yes, our friend is missing . . . yes, taken in a black van . . . yes, we have an idea of who may have done it . . . I, I don't know . . . I just, I can't, I . . ." she said losing her composure as Tommy rubbed her shoulder and took the phone from her now salty soaked hand.  
  
"Yes, his name is Ephram Brown. He's 16. Brown hair, yes . . . we last saw him about an hour ago at the BP gas station on Main street," he said as Amy now pressed her face against the cool window, causing the glass to fog. She wanted to float away, her life was giving her way too much to deal with. She heart Tommy speak,  
  
"They're going to start the search," he said and exhaled deeply, "do you want to call home or do you want me to?" he asked, figuring that he should give her the choice.  
  
"I can," she said, trying to collect herself again. She lifted the phone from his hand as Tommy started the car up again. "Daddy?" she said shakily.  
  
"Amy, sweetheart, what's wrong?" his voice sounded alarmed.  
  
"I'm fine, Tommy's fine, Micah's fine, but Ephram . . ." she began to cry again, "oh Dad someone's taken him!"  
  
"Amy Nicole, where are you? I thought I told you not to see them until things were cleared up?" he sighed, only hearing her soft sobs, "I'm sorry, look, I'm glad you're okay. Have you called the police?"  
  
All she did was nod, and obviously Dr. Abbott couldn't hear that. Tommy smiled and whispered, "He can't see you nod, silly," trying to lighten the moment. It worked, and she smiled briefly.  
  
"Yes, we called them. They're going to start looking for him . . . can you call Dr. Brown for us?" she asked hopefully.  
  
"Where are you going now?" he asked her, thinking going back to the Brown house was a bad idea in case someone was following them.  
  
"I don't know . . ." she said slowly, "why, can't we just come home?"  
  
"No, it's not safe. You'll need to go away," he sighed, "I can't believe I'm giving you permission to go away with that Callahan boy," he shook his head.  
  
"Dad," she rolled her eyes now.  
  
"Listen, I'll call Dr. Brown. I want you to call me when you get to a hotel in Denver. We'll bring Micah, no one will see if I send Bright to bring him. Micah isn't safe here anymore. We had no idea the enemy was so close,"  
  
"Daddy?" she asked, breaking his train of thought; it was getting too complicated anyway.  
  
"Yes, Amy?" he asked catching himself getting carried away in worry.  
  
"I love you,"  
  
"I love you too. Be safe. Oh, let me talk to Thomas quickly, okay?"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
"Love me when I'm gone...  
  
When your education x-ray  
  
Can not see under my skin  
  
I won't tell you a damn thing  
  
That I could not tell my friends  
  
Roaming through this darkness  
  
I'm alive but I'm alone  
  
Part of me is fighting this  
  
But part of me is gone"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````  
  
She handed the phone to him and closed her eyes again. For a few moments she felt safe again when she was talking to her dad. She didn't know how long it'd be until she saw Ephram again, and without him she felt the most insecure that anyone possibly could.  
  
"Hi Dr. Abbott," he said feeling nervous. He bit his lower lip.  
  
"Tommy, this is a big responsibility and under any other circumstances this would completely not be allowed," he cleared his throat.  
  
"I understand, sir," he said sincerely.  
  
"You've got to take care of my little girl," he said, not believing he trusted someone that had Callahan as his last name.  
  
"I will. I promise," he said and looked over toward Amy, who was now asleep. She had worn herself out crying.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
So hold me when I'm here  
  
Right me when I'm wrong  
  
Hold me when I'm scared  
  
And love me when I'm gone  
  
Everything I am  
  
And everything you need  
  
I'll also be the one  
  
You wanted me to be  
  
I'll never let you down  
  
Even if I could  
  
I'd give up everything  
  
If only for your good  
  
So hold me when I'm here  
  
Right me when I'm wrong  
  
You can hold me when I'm scared  
  
You won't always be there  
  
So love me when I'm gone  
  
As Tommy hung up the phone, he began driving to Denver. Not knowing exactly where they were going was both exciting and nerve racking to him. While it had been his dream to be able to go away alone with Amy, this wasn't the terms he wanted it to go with. The man she loved was kidnapped by his father . . . this sort of thing only happened in books, movies, and tv shows, not real life. Not Everwood. The rain began to fall lightly then slowly picked up intensity. It formed into snow and brushed lightly against the windshield. Shifting his eyes between the road and a sleeping Amy, he had a feeling that being eighteen would be harder than he thought.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"Maybe I'm just blind...  
  
So hold me when I'm here  
  
Right me when I'm wrong  
  
Hold me when I'm scared  
  
And love me when I'm gone  
  
Everything I am  
  
And everything you need  
  
I'll also be the one  
  
You wanted me to be  
  
I'll never let you down  
  
Even if I could  
  
I'd give up everything  
  
If only for your good  
  
So hold me when I'm here  
  
Right me when I'm wrong  
  
You can hold me when I'm scared  
  
You won't always be there  
  
So love me when I'm gone"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
Meanwhile, Ephram was beginning to panic. While he didn't want to weaken and tell Mr. Callahan where Tommy was, he figured that maybe they'd leave the house and go somewhere else. Still, it hadn't been that long, and they need twenty four hours to report a missing child. He couldn't believe he was thinking of himself as a child. He was a child; and Amy was with a legal adult; her best friend.  
  
Mr. Callahan's words echoed in his head as he fell into a state of temporary sleep, "Looks like my son and Ms. Abbott will be spending a little quality time together this holiday season, doesn't it? I'm just saying that she's a very pretty girl . . . and I know how much Thomas fancies her. That's all I'm saying,"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"Love me when I'm gone...  
  
Love me when I'm gone  
  
When I'm Gone  
  
When I'm Gone  
  
When I'm Gone" 


	36. I'll be home for Christmas

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 35 uses "I'll be home for Christmas" . . . so many people have remade it that I don't even really know the original artist . . .  
  
Chapter 35: I'll be home for Christmas  
  
"I miss Daddy," Micah said, rubbing his eyes with his tiny fists that night.  
  
"I know, we miss him too," Dr. Brown said honestly, "He and Ephram and Amy are going to be gone for a little while," these words were very painful for him to say; it meant having to admit that Ephram was gone.  
  
"Amy too?" he said, his eyes becoming more sad.  
  
"Yes, Amy too," Andy said and hugged the little boy, "you like her, don't you?"  
  
"Yep. I have no mommy, but I have Amy," he said smiling. Andy sighed. This young boy had opened up a can of worms he never knew existed. Something told him Tommy and Amy's relationship would make Micah view her this way.  
  
"You have a mommy, Micah," Andy replied. He had gone through this with Delia right after Julia's death. "She's in heaven watching you right now,"  
  
"My Mommy?" he asked looking at the ceiling.  
  
"Yes, just like Delia and Ephram's Mommy is watching them," he reassured the small boy, "Amy's a nice friend though," Micah nodded and shortly fell asleep. Andy looked at a picture of his late wife and said, "Please be watching our son right now . . . I can't lose him,"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"I'll be home for Christmas  
  
You can plan on me  
  
Please have snow and mistletoe  
  
And presents on the tree"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
Tommy had just pulled into the only hotel with a vacancy in the area of Denver they were in. Amy was still asleep, and while he hated to wake her, he wasn't about to let her spend the night out in the car. He thought of a million ways to wake her . . . one of them was out of the question; a wake up kiss certainly wouldn't be appropriate. So he took the road traveled and placed his hand on her shoulder, shaking it a bit.  
  
"Hmmm?" she said as she squeezed her eyes closed tightly before opening them.  
  
"Amy, we're here. We just have to go inside and then you can go right back to sleep, okay?" She nodded and sleepily unbuckled her seatbelt as Tommy opened her car door.  
  
"Where are we?" she asked, finally waking up as the snowflakes pressed against her cheeks in the wind.  
  
"Motel 8 in Denver," he said matter-of-factly. She squinted her eyes to see the florescent glowing sign and sighed.  
  
"Lovely . . ." she said noticing the less than glamorous appearance of the outside.  
  
"Listen," he said laughing but becoming upset that she was displeased, "this is the only hotel on this side of Denver with a vacancy . . . there wasn't another one open in sight," he said shaking his head, "and trust me, I looked,"  
  
"Its fine," she said trudging through the snow as he handed her the room key. "Well, see you tomorrow then," she said patting him on the top of his head like a dog.  
  
"Um . . ." he started nervously, "I'm not sure where you think I'm going,"  
  
"Your room, of course," she said smiling, but her smile faded and her speech slowed at the end.  
  
"Oh, right," he nodded then turned as she shut the door. Just as she sat on the bed there was the sound of a key and the knob turning.  
  
"Hi honey, I'm home," he said sarcastically. She rolled her eyes.  
  
"Get your ass in here then," she said laughing, "You mean to tell me we're sharing a room?"  
  
"It was the only one they had!" he said defensively.  
  
"It's fine . . . I'll just sleep in that chair," she said pointing.  
  
"No. I'll sleep in the chair. You get the bed. Besides, tomorrow Micah is coming and he'll need a bed so we'll have to trade,"  
  
He closed the door and shut the curtains, which didn't do much because they had many holes from moths. Turning off the only light in the room, he nestled into the chair across the room from her bed.  
  
"Amy?" he said, not sure if she was asleep yet because she had looked so out of it before.  
  
"Yeah?" she asked, pulling the blankets up around her to keep her from shivering.  
  
"Do you think Micah and I will make it okay on our own?" he asked honestly. He never had asked her this before.  
  
She yawned, not out of boredom but out of sleepiness, "I don't think it'll be easy, but I think you two will make it. You have each other, that's all that matters,"  
  
"I hope you're right. I just want him to be raised well so he doesn't turn out like me,"  
  
"You're not so bad," she teased, "And you've got a heart that's as big as the population of Everwood inside that chest of yours,"  
  
"How do you know?" he asked, again glad his blushing cheeks were hidden by the darkness.  
  
"Because I can feel it," she said yawning again. She had no idea that these words meant something completely different to him than she hand intended.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"Christmas Eve will find me  
  
Where the lovelight gleams  
  
I'll be home for Christmas  
  
If only in my dreams"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"I called home," he started, not sure if she was awake enough to hear him, "Dr. Brown's going to bring Micah out tomorrow for sure then,"  
  
"Mmmhmm," she mumbled right before she drifted off into sleep.  
  
"It's Christmas Eve tomorrow," he said still wide awake, "and he won't even have any presents!"  
  
"Tommy, it'll all work out," she said, "now go to sleep!" she said agitated.  
  
Her bed was lumpy and his chair was full of springs that were out of alignment and popping out oddly against his spine. As hard as she tried, she received only about fifteen minutes of sleep at a time, then would lie awake for about a solid hour before falling asleep again. Tossing and turning, she worried about Ephram and wondered how long it'd be before Mr. Callahan found Micah and then found Tommy and her. She thought of bailing on Tommy, of telling him she could never see him again and that it was best if he just moved to another town and started a whole new life . . . but what kind of best friend does that?  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"I'll be home for Christmas  
  
You can plan on me  
  
Please have snow and mistletoe  
  
And Presents on the tree"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"Go," Mr. Callahan told his wife, handing her bread on a plate and pointing her in the direction of the shed, "give the boy bread so he can live to tell me what I need to know," Not only did she do this for the boy, but because she was afraid of her husband's wrath. It had been about half a day since he had taken Ephram, and this was the first sign of food he'd seen. Mr. Callahan wasn't aware that his wife knew where their sons were, or that she knew who the boy was.  
  
She slowly opened the shed doors, letting in a little light and seeing the young man lying helplessly in the dirt, clutching his sides.  
  
"Hello," she said sweetly, and Ephram coiled up, afraid that she would be just as cruel as the man had been. He said nothing and she noticed the tension, so she bent down and touched his cheek. "I brought you some bread,"  
  
"Are you Tommy's . . . mother?" he asked, feeling relief rush over him for a second. He had heard that she was a kind woman.  
  
"Yes I am. And who are you?" she asked. Her voice was comforting to him.  
"I'm not so sure I can tell you that," he spoke with reluctance.  
  
"Don't worry, I know where my sons are. I'm just not telling my husband. It's one thing for him to be cruel to me, and a completely different thing for him to be mean to our sons,"  
  
"I still. . . I don't know,"  
  
"You're Ephram Brown, aren't you?" she asked, hushing her voice even more.  
  
His eyes searched hers for trust and latched onto the bit he found. He nodded, still unaware if he had made the right decision. He touched the top of his head and smoothed out his messy hair, as if it were her own son's, and smiled. "I'm on your side," she said sweetly, "I know you and your family are taking good care of my boys,"  
  
"Can you let me go?" he asked hopefully. She shook her head sadly, "No, not yet at least. As much as I'd love to, and as much as it hurts me to see a young man in this situation, I have to wait until it looks like you got away some other way. I still have to live with him after this," she said handing him the bread.  
  
"Oh . . . well, Merry Christmas at least," he said smiling and biting into the bread.  
  
"What's your Christmas wish this year?" she asked politely.  
  
"I never make wishes . . ." he said swallowing his bread.  
  
"Then this is the perfect year to start. I make one every year," she sighed, "This year it's that Tommy and Micah can find peace away from this awful place." She stopped as a tear came to her eye. "Can you think of one?" Ephram smiled.  
  
"I wish for this to be the last Christmas Amy and I ever spend apart," he closed his eyes.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"Christmas Eve will find me  
  
Where the lovelight gleams  
  
I'll be home for Christmas  
  
If only in my dreams"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
A/N: Hey everyone, thanks for hanging in there while updates seem rare. I really wish I could update more, but actually being home for a month and seeing my friends and boyfriend again are pretty important too. I can't tell you how much I enjoy writing this story and I hope it's equally enjoyable for you all to read. Keep up the reviews and let me know your thoughts. Thanks for reading! 


	37. Play for Keeps

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 36 uses "Playing for Keeps" by Switchfoot.  
  
Chapter 36: Playing for Keeps  
  
"Tommy . . .?" Amy whispered as she shook him in the middle of the night. He was sound asleep, quite opposite of her. "Hey, Tommy . . . wake up . . . wake up . . ." she pleaded as she brushed her hand over the top of his head. He moved a bit, but still didn't open his eyes. *You bum,* she thought. Not seeing any problem with it, she leaned down and whispered in his ear, "Thomas," holding out the "s" in a snake like way. Bad move on Amy's part. . .  
  
His head jerked up and instinctively he pulled her into a kiss. The back of his hand holding her head up to his as his lips caressed finally caressed hers. Her eyes shot open and at first she didn't know what was going on. She pressed them closed again, and a surge of confusion shot through her. She pulled away and bit her lip, not sure of what to say. This reminded her of when she and Ephram first kissed in the mine . . . except she had liked Ephram at that point. . . Tommy was just her friend.  
  
"Amy . . ." he breathed, opening his eyes to see her standing with her back turned to him. She was touching her lower lip with her index finger and trying to sort out what just happened. "Amy . . . I'm sorry . . ." he said getting up and walking in front of her he could see her. It was still dark out and the only light came from the holes in the curtains. It shown just enough to light a bar across her eyes, but the light was tinted blue and made her look very different. He squeezed his thumb and index finger together at his forehead and cursed himself for not being more careful with what he did.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"Do me a favor  
  
Would sing this to me slow?  
  
'Cause I'm thinking it's my song  
  
Do me a favor  
  
Would you tell me when to let go?  
  
'Cause I think I'm holding on"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"Tommy . . . I . . . what happened?" she asked trying to remain sane.  
  
"That wasn't supposed to happen . . ."  
  
"So it was an accident . . ." she said smiling and nodding in relief, "a dream, maybe about Kayla?"  
  
"It was a dream alright," he said sighing and sitting on the bed. She stood across the room from him. "But it wasn't about Kayla."  
  
". . . You KNOW I'm in love with Ephram . . ." she said kindly, not wanting to make things even more awkward, if that was possible. He was glad it was dark.  
  
"I'm not trying to take you away from him . . ." he said slowly and seriously.  
  
"Then I don't understand what's going on," she said matter-of-factly. "How long has this been going on?" she asked looking him in the eye now.  
  
"I'm not exactly sure . . . all I know is that one day I felt differently toward you. I felt like I couldn't breathe when you were around, like Micah and I would be just fine . . ."  
  
"Tommy, this isn't exactly an appropriate conversation . . ." she started, feeling herself weaken as he spoke.  
  
"I can't help it . . . I've tried . . . I feel as if nothing bad ever happened to me when you're around . . . and Micah . . . God, he loves you . . ."  
  
"And I love him too . . . but . . ."  
  
"But you don't love me," he said staring her right in the eyes.  
  
She turned away and walked toward the window. "I love Ephram,"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````  
  
"Would you do it for me?  
  
Would you do it for me?  
  
'Cause I'm playing for keeps  
  
Tell me tomorrow has come  
  
With open arms  
  
If you say it's time to move on  
  
Then I'll stop holding on  
  
If you say that it's time for moving on  
  
Time for moving on"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````  
  
A few hours later, just before dawn was about to break, there was action at the Brown house. "Bye Deweea!" Micah said waving as they walked out the front door. He was bundled up so much, he could barely see her. Dr. Brown and found some of Ephram's old winter wear and it fit Micah surprisingly well. Delia waved. While she was sad to see him go, she was happy to have some alone time with Bright, who was "hanging out with her," not babysitting.  
  
"Bye Micah, we'll see each other really soon, okay?" she said. The little boy was smiling the whole time. She turned to see Bright turning on Spongebob.  
  
"Hey, I know it's your house and all . . . but is it okay if we watch Spongebob?" he asked her.  
  
"You like Spongebob?" Bright Abbott? Maybe they did have something in common. "I love Spongebob . . . I mean, yeah, if you want to," she said trying not to get overexcited.  
  
"Awesome," he said, "Oh, do you have any fruit snacks?" he asked. This was too weird.  
  
"Yeah . . . cherry . . . it's all we have," she said looking at him and hoping not to disappoint.  
  
"My favorite," he said, and as Delia walked into the kitchen, "Thanks, Delia!"  
  
"I'm going out for awhile . . . make sure nothing happens to the boy," Mr. Callahan said to his wife as he put on his jacket.  
  
"Alright," she said obediently. This wasn't how she imagined her life at all when she was young. He used to be so kind, up until Tommy was born . . . he was a jealous man, had sort of a reverse Oedipus complex. Someday things would settle down, she told herself.  
  
As her husband stepped out the door and backed out the driveway, she made sure he was a few blocks away before going out to see Ephram. Hoping he was okay, she unlatched the shed door. He was sound asleep, clutching onto a bit of bread she gathered he must've been saving in case it'd be awhile before he received more.  
  
"Ephram," she said sweetly, wake up, it's Christmas Eve!"  
  
"Lousiest. Christmas. Eve. Ever," he said pausing between each word for effect.  
  
"Not for long, I've brought you something!" she said revealing to him what she was holding in her hand behind her back. His eyes widened.  
  
"I never meant for you to find out, honestly! I wanted to just forget that I felt anything at all," he said trying to explain himself.  
  
"So kissing me helped you forget what again?" she asked, then realizing that sounded a bit harsh.  
  
"You didn't exactly pull away right away you know," he said raising his voice and his defenses.  
  
Taken aback, she blinked several times then struggled to find a light to turn on. She found a cheap table lamp and pulled the string but it broke off. She sighed loudly, then looked or the switch. Clicking it on and hearing a buzzing sound from above, she looked him straight in the eye for the first time in full light since the kiss. He looked weak and vulnerable.  
  
"I didn't know what was even going on, you can't use that against me,"  
  
"I don't want to argue with you, Amy. Now, come on, I'm sorry . . ." he pleaded but the tears in her eyes weakened him more. "I'm not trying to use anything against you,"  
  
She fell into the corner and her sobs deepened. She didn't want him to comfort her. Maybe before that would've been the only thing she DID need, but not right now. He walked toward her, "why are you crying? It won't happen again,"  
  
"You can't just go around kissing people, Tommy . . . it messes everything up," she said with her hands resting over her eyes.  
  
"I don't," he said, "something inside of me was going to burst soon if I didn't do something. But now that I see what it's done I much rather would've exploded," he said sincerely. She continued to cry, and he began throwing his clothes in the suitcase.  
  
"What are you doing?" she said trying to stop crying.  
  
"Leaving. When Micah gets here we'll find somewhere else to go, ruin someone else's lives . . ." he said angry with himself.  
  
"You can't leave now, it's not safe," she said seriously.  
  
"But you aren't safe when I AM here," he explained, "and you aren't comfortable with me. Besides, I can't endanger someone I feel so much for . . ."  
  
"Stay. Okay? I'm stupid okay?!" she cried and screamed. "I'm the biggest bitch in the world who toys with boys emotions and never delivers!" she continued at the top of her lungs.  
  
"Stop IT!" he said starting to cry now too.  
  
"No! NO You aren't going! Not because of me!" she said yelling again. She sat on the bed. As the phone rang. Tommy picked it up.  
  
"Hello?" he said loudly.  
  
"Please keep the volume down or you'll be asked to leave. It is only 6 AM," the man from the front desk warned.  
  
"Yes, we're sorry," he said, "it won't be a problem anymore," he said and hung up. Amy knew what had happened and wiped her eyes with a tissue that she found on the night stand. Neither of them spoke for awhile.  
  
"You have no idea how I feel about you," he started reluctantly, "and to hear you say all those horrible things about yourself just to make me stay . . ." Tommy continued but Amy's thoughts were interrupted by a memory,  
  
"I never want to hear you say you don't have friends again," Ephram said as he held her in a tight embrace. That moment had been so wonderful.  
  
Back to present, she turned away from Tommy's gaze. "I'm sorry . . . this just always happens and I don't know how to deal. It happened with Ephram and Colin and now . . ."  
  
"I'm not trying to convince you that I'm better for you than he is . . . I know I'm not. I want you two to be together, but somewhere in the back of my head and the front of my heart I just can't stop thinking about how you make me feel,"  
  
"Tommy we can't do anything about that . . ." she explained, "I'm in love with someone else, and that man is somewhere far from here because of me. You are my best friend . . ."  
  
"How do you feel about me?" he asked bluntly.  
  
"I just told you, you're my best . . ." he interrupted her,  
  
"Honestly," he said softly.  
  
"Maybe if it had been before Ephram, maybe in a different time or place, but I can't care for you that way now," she explained. She motioned to hug him, "but that doesn't mean that I don't want to be with you and Micah as a friend. You guys are practically family to me now," He wrapped his arms around her back. He knew this would be the speech she'd give him. "How do you feel about me?" she asked, afraid of the answer.  
  
"Honestly?" he asked still holding onto her. He felt her nod. "I love you," he whispered. She sighed heavily, squeezed her eyes shut more firmly and pulled away from his embrace as a tear slid down her right cheek and dripped off her chin. Her heart pounded in her chest.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"Do me a favor  
  
Would you tell me which way's up?  
  
'Cause I don't know where I fit  
  
Do me a favor  
  
Would to you tell me when to stop?  
  
'Cause I don't know how to quit"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
Just then there was a knock at the door and then it opened . . . things hadn't been resolved yet between Tommy and Amy and now they were running out of time. Micah had come. Christmas Eve had come. Awkwardness had come.  
  
"Daddy! Amy!" he said hugging both of them who were still only inches apart. "Chwistmas!" he said giggling. Dr. Brown stood in the door and Amy stepped away from the Callahan's to give him a hug.  
  
"He'll come home," she said to Dr. Brown who looked upset from Ephram still being gone. Dr. Brown pulled her into a tighter hug, a daughterly hug, and began to cry as Tommy tried to distract Micah so he wouldn't see the grown man crying.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"Do me a favor  
  
'Cause I'm playing for keeps"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
Bottom of Form 


	38. Somewhere out there

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 37 uses "Somewhere out there" as sung by Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram in the Movie "An American Tale". Anyone remember that movie? That movie was a big one when I was little.  
  
Chapter 37: Somewhere out there  
  
"A phone?" Ephram asked Mrs. Callahan as he smiled. "You're letting me call home?"  
  
"Yes," she and she nodded, "Tell them you'll be home in a few hours," she said as her face grew more and more nervous.  
  
"You're letting me go home too?" Mrs. Callahan had now become one of his new favorite people.  
  
"If we move quickly enough," she said positively. Ephram's smile faded quickly,  
  
"But what about you . . .? Won't he get angry that you let me go?"  
  
"That's why I need to ask you a favor," she said knowing he'd agree to do it immediately. He listened intently,  
  
"I'm leaving my husband . . . I decided this last night as I made my Christmas wish . . . If it wouldn't be too much trouble, maybe I could stay with your family too since Tommy and Micah are already there . . . just for a little while . . . I know it's a lot to ask . . ."  
  
"It's a great favor to ask," Ephram said smiling and called home.  
  
Delia and Bright had both fallen asleep sitting up on the couch watching the complete first season of Spongebob on DVD. Delia jumped as the phone rang. She reached over for it and saw that the caller ID said "Callahan," so she almost didn't answer, but did at the last second, knowing that it could have something to do with Ephram being missing. Bright was still completely asleep.  
  
"Hello?" She asked nervously.  
  
"Delia?" Ephram asked. He hadn't ever been this excited to hear her voice.  
  
"Ephram?!?!" She screamed in excitement, the shrillness waking Bright. "You're okay? Where are you?" the questions plowed their way through her head and out her mouth.  
  
"I can't tell you, but tell Dad I'll be home soon, and I'm bringing a friend I've made," he said, "and tell him I'll explain everything that happened when I do get home,"  
  
"Dad's gone right now, he's taking little M . . ."  
  
"Hey, don't say names on here, in case the line is bugged . . ."  
  
"Okay well he's taking him to Denver to be with your girlfriend and her best friend then," she thought she was so clever with this.  
  
"Okay . . . well does Dad have his cell phone?" Ephram asked hopefully. He was too excited to even catch that Amy and Tommy were in Denver together.  
  
"I think so . . . I'll call him," she said excitedly.  
  
"Yeah, and ask him where they all are so I can go up there and surprise them," he suggested.  
  
"Okay," she said "Ephram?" afraid he had already hung up.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I love you," these words meant the world to the boy who just hours ago felt there was no hope left for him, and hearing his little sister say this made almost everything okay again,  
  
"I love you too, kid. I'll see you soon," he said as they mutually hung up.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"Somewhere out there  
  
Beneath the pale moonlight  
  
Someone's thinkin' of me  
  
And loving me tonight  
  
Somewhere out there  
  
Someone's saying a prayer  
  
That we'll find one another  
  
In that big somewhere out there"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"All systems go," Ephram said as he smiled at Mrs. Callahan who was peeking out of the shed doors to make sure her husband wasn't around.  
  
"Great, I've packed my bags . . . let's get you in the car so we can leave this place behind."  
  
Dr. Brown stood in the doorway about to leave the Callahan boys and Amy for the night, hoping he'd hear something about his son. "Well, Merry Christmas, everyone, I'll see you all later," he said, the tears now clearing up from his eyes. Amy patted his shoulder,  
  
"Thank you for doing this, Dr. Brown . . . don't worry, things will be back to normal in no time," she said, wishing she believed her own advice. With that he turned around and walked out the door. It wouldn't be for another hour that he received the exciting phone call from his daughter.  
  
Back at the motel, Micah was really excited to see his Dad and Amy again. Going back and forth between the two of them with hugs and kisses, he finally nestled in under the covers and asked if there was going to be "bweakfast"  
  
"What would you like?" Amy asked the small boy who was being so patient.  
  
"Cweal," he said smiling.  
  
"Cereal? No problem," Amy said and put on her jacket, causing Tommy to raise his eyebrows.  
  
"Where are you going?" he asked, still ashamed to look her in the eye.  
  
"To the little breakfast nook in the lobby area, they have continental breakfasts there but we don't want to risk being seen. I'll be right back," she said assuring them.  
  
Micah looked up as his dad as the door shut behind Amy. "Daddy?" he smiled, "Is Amy going to live with us now?" His eyes were lit with hopefulness and innocence that only a small child can emit.  
  
"No, just until things at home clear up," he said, knowing Micah didn't know what that meant at all.  
  
"We gonna live with grandma and grandpa again?" He asked. It was obvious that the child hadn't a clue about anything going on, and Tommy knew it was only a matter of time before he'd have to explain at least the smallest outline to him.  
  
"No, we're going to live with Ephram again, and then move to our own place,"  
  
"Does Amy live with Ephram?" he asked making a frown.  
  
"No," he said and the child smiled again, "Why, I thought you liked Ephram,"  
  
"I want to keep Amy!" he said smiling and pointing out the window at her as she approached the door again.  
  
"So do I," he said as he heard the doorknob turning, "but we can't,"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"And, even though I know  
  
How very far apart we are  
  
It helps to think we might be wishin'  
  
On the same bright star  
  
And, when the night wind starts to sing  
  
A lonesome lullaby  
  
It helps to think we're sleeping  
  
Underneath the same big sky"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
She entered with six different small boxes of cereal for them to pick from and a few cartons of milk. "This should do," she said smiling and catching Tommy's eye for the first time since he had told her he loved her. She averted her gaze, "Not exactly a perfect Christmas Eve meal, but it works,"  
  
"Is Santa coming here?" he asked between spoonfuls of Chex. Now Amy had to look at Tommy. They had to put aside what happened between THEM and focus on what really mattered - Micah.  
  
"He should be," Tommy said touching his son's cheek, "But if not, he'll have dropped off your presents at Ephram's house," the little boy began to tear up.  
  
"Cuz I'm a bad boy?" he asked.  
  
"No, not at all," Tommy said squeezing his eyes shut and trying to think of the right thing to say,  
  
"Because we don't have a tree here," Amy said, taking the little boy's hand, "and Santa knows you like your presents under a tree,"  
  
Micah smiled and Tommy exhaled, mouthing, "Thank you" in much relief to what his love had done for him, despite THEIR current confusion.  
  
"Oh, okay!" Micah said smiling, "Daddy, I wanna watch blue's clues . . ."  
  
"Um, well, we don't really have a TV here, but . . ."  
  
"But I bet we could read you some stories," Amy suggested. She was really helping Tommy out. Unfortunately, her quick thinking and acts of generosity only made him want to love her more.  
  
"No, let's play!" Tommy said jumping on the bed.  
  
"Play?" Tommy asked nervously.  
  
"Yeah! House!" Amy's eyes widened as Micah continued, "I'm the son, you're the daddy," he said looking at Tommy,  
  
"And Amy is the best friend!" Tommy interjected and Amy was grateful.  
  
"No, Daddy, Amy is the Mommy!" he said hugging her.  
  
"Micah," Tommy started but tears filled his eyes and Amy weakened,  
  
"It's fine . . . just as long as you know I'm not really your Mommy, right?" she said patting Micah on the head.  
  
"Yep, I know," he said giggling and looking at his dad.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"Somewhere out there  
  
If love can see us through  
  
Then we'll be together  
  
Somewhere out there  
  
Out where dreams come true  
  
And, even though I know  
  
How very far apart we are  
  
It helps to think we might be wishin'  
  
On the same bright star  
  
And, when the night wind starts to sing  
  
A lonesome lullaby  
  
It helps to think we're sleeping  
  
Underneath the same big sky"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
Ephram and Mrs. Callahan were just pulling into the driveway of the Brown house when Dr. Brown got home. He slammed on the breaks and flew out the door to greet his son. "Ephram?!" He asked hugging him so tightly Ephram wasn't able to get enough air to even speak. "I'm so glad you're back," he continued.  
  
"Dad . . . air . . . choking . . ." he gasped and Andy laughed and let him go. "I'd like you to meet my friend," Ephram said motioning to Tommy's mother. "Dad, this is Mrs. Callahan, Mrs. Callahan, my dad, Andrew Brown," Andy's eyes narrowed and searched Ephram's in panic, but soon saw that she was on their side. And while she ashamed to be a Callahan, there wasn't a drop of that man in her. Frankly, she was glad to be away from him before he turned her heart cold just like his.  
  
"I'm terribly sorry for all this mess . . ." she started but Andy welcomed her with a gentle handshake,  
  
"Not at all, the boys are safe now, and we'll make sure you're safe too," he said nodding and smiling, "You're welcome to stay as long as you need to," he said motioning to the house.  
  
"Thank You, Dr. Brown," she said as they walked in the house. Delia nearly trampled Ephram when she saw he was home safely with only a few scrapes and bruises. "You got back sooner than I thought," she said jumping up to give him a kiss on the cheek.  
  
"You knew he'd be home?" Dr. Brown asked confused but still smiling.  
  
"He called while you were by Tommy and Amy," she said then her gaze turned toward Mrs. Callahan. "Who's she?"  
  
"That's Tommy's mom . . . we're going to take care of her too," Ephram said, knowing Delia wasn't pleased. She rarely took kindly to any new women in the house, with the exception of Nina and Madison.  
  
"Oh," she said and walked back in the room to sit next to a sleeping Bright once again. Mrs. Callahan looked away and Ephram patted her on the shoulder,  
  
"Don't worry . . . she'll warm up to you," and the woman smiled.  
  
"So, now to the real concern," he said walking back in the room Delia and Bright were in, "Where's Amy?"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"Somewhere out there  
  
If love can see us through (love can see us through)  
  
Then we'll be together  
  
Somewhere out there  
  
Out where dreams come true" 


	39. On Fire

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 38 uses "On Fire," by Switchfoot.  
  
Chapter 38: On Fire  
  
"Daddy, can we go to the zoo tomorrow?" Micah asked. They had just started playing house, and Micah seemed to be the only one who knew what to do. Tommy was confused at first by his son's question,  
  
"I don't think so, son, remember, we have to stay here for a little while," Micah rolled his eyes at this, making Tommy laugh. He didn't even know his son had a sarcastic side at his young age.  
  
"Dad!" He said, "We're playing house, rwemember?" he giggled.  
  
"Oh, right," Tommy said laughing. "Well, I suppose we CAN go to the zoo tomorrow then, but only if you're good,"  
  
"Aren't you going to ask Mommy if it's okay?" Micah said smiling and turning to Amy.  
  
"Oh, um, right, I probably should," Tommy said, blushing. He turned to Amy now also and spoke without eye contact, "Did you have any plans for tomorrow . . . honey?" This was both Tommy's nightmare and dream come true rolled into one. Luckily Amy had played house when she babysat Sam before, so she had some sort of an idea what to do.  
  
"Well," she said tapping her lower lip with her index finger, "I thought Micah and I would go see a movie tomorrow, but it's okay if you want to take him to the zoo," Tommy raised his eyebrows; he was impressed.  
  
"Both!" Micah said hugging his Dad and then his "mom." It was Amy's turn to continue since Tommy was surprisingly out of the 'house' loop.  
  
"I'm going to go for a little walk, I'll be back in a little while, okay?" she said still in her role, "You go play with your dad,"  
  
"I come with mom?" he asked. Amy's heart jumped. Even though it was just a game, she was horrified at the thought of being someone's mother at the age of 16.  
  
"No, I'll just be a minute," she said motioning to walk outside, but Micah's words stopped her; when she heard them she wished she would've pretended she hadn't.  
  
"You have to kiss Daddy goodbye you know," he said smiling.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"Tell you where you need to go  
  
Tell you when you'll need to leave  
  
Tell you what you need to know  
  
Tell you who you need to be  
But everything inside you knows  
  
Says more than what you've heard  
  
So much more than empty conversations  
  
Filled with empty words"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
Back in Everwood, Ephram was searching for answers to questions his heart had been asking since he found out Amy was alone with Tommy. Dr. Brown entered the room just in time to give him these answers.  
  
"Amy's with Tommy in Denver," he said hoping he was wrong in his prediction of how his son would respond.  
  
"In Denver," he said slowly, "Denver . . . why?" he asked, now panicking.  
  
"For safety," his father explained, "they went there right after you were taken,"  
  
"But Amy's in a separate room, right?" he asked, laughing out of nervousness.  
  
"There was only one vacancy . . ." Dr. Brown said cringing as he saw his son's eyes narrow, "when are they coming back?"  
  
"They should be back sometime tomorrow. No sense in driving home today, the snow's really starting to pick up," Andy said.  
  
"I'm going right now," Ephram said quickly. Mrs. Callahan held onto Ephram's arm and said,  
  
"The roads are way too dangerous, they'll be fine until tomorrow,"  
  
"Oh, I'm not worried about the roads. I'm worried about that rat with my girlfriend," he explained.  
  
"I thought you liked Tommy," Delia offered up.  
  
"Yes, well if I learned one thing while I was captive, it was that Tommy 'fancies' Amy," he said putting on his jacket again.  
  
"Don't you trust her?" Andy said, "If you love her, then surely you trust her,"  
  
Ephram stopped zipping his jacket for a second and said, "As much as I love her . . . she and I have always had a trust issue," he finished zipping his jacket, grabbed his car keys, and pushed his way through everyone to get to the door, "now if you'll excuse me,"  
  
"Ephram!" Delia yelled out the door as he started the car. The snow was coming down so much that she could barely see him.  
  
"Delia," he said out the car window, "You'll understand someday why I have to do this," and with that he rolled up the window and backed out the driveway.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
"And you're on fire  
  
When He's near you  
  
You're on fire  
  
When He speaks  
  
You're on fire  
  
Burning at these mysteries  
  
Give me one more time around  
  
Give me one more chance to see  
  
Give me everything You are  
  
Give me one more chance to be... (near You)"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````  
  
Back in Denver, things were getting a little confusing.  
  
"Kiss Daddy!" Micah was saying as he jumped up and down on the bed.  
  
"Stop jumping," Tommy said as the little boy fell onto his bottom and landed softly with a last gentle bounce on the bed.  
  
"Um . . ." Amy said as she walked over to Tommy, "I'll see you later then, Thomas," she said hugging him quickly. Nervousness shot through her body; calmness through his. He didn't release her right away as they pulled inches apart enough to see the other's face.  
  
"Yes, be careful in the snow . . ." he said smiling. Out of the corner of his eye he could see his son once again jumping on the bed. He kissed her forehead; she froze. He kissed her nose, her left cheek, her right cheek . . . it was as if time had stopped for them. She pressed her eyes closed tightly quickly then opened them again just in time to see him pulling back. She stared into his eyes and finally saw how much he cared for her. *Ephram . . .* she thought, but her lips thought otherwise and swiftly kissed Tommy's for a few seconds. Ripping away from him she ran out the door and fell into the snow in tears. She was glad the boys couldn't see her just then. Her heart wanted Ephram, her mind wanted Ephram, her soul . . . Ephram. She had all these things under control; only one thing seemed to always be OUT of control . . . her body.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"Cause everything inside looks like  
  
Everything I hate  
  
You are the hope I have for change  
  
You are the only chance I'll take"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````  
  
Tommy turned around and leaned the back of his head against the door. Micah was smiling and ran over to his father. "I think we've had enough "house" for today, kiddo,"  
  
"Okay," he said softly.  
  
"And when Amy comes back you aren't to call her Mommy. You call her Amy, just as you always have,"  
  
"You kissed her," he said in a mocking tone. He was too young to understand that kisses weren't grounds for making fun of; often they were grounds for envy.  
  
"Nothing's changed," he sighed, "Amy is our friend, and that's how it stays,"  
  
Micah began crying, "Love her!" he yelled loud enough for Amy to hear outside the door.  
  
"I can't," Tommy explained seriously.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"And I'm on fire  
  
When You're near me  
  
I'm on fire  
  
When You speak  
  
And I'm on fire  
  
Burning at these mysteries  
  
these mysteries..."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
Ephram drove quickly down the icy roads, much like he had when he made the decision to go to the ski lodge. Many of the same worries crossed his mind this time, and he had a bad feeling that while Amy may be physically safe, she wasn't emotionally stable enough to fend off Tommy's wooing. He had grabbed his present for Amy and Tommy's for her also; he wasn't that cold hearted that he'd withhold presents for Amy. Everything made sense now that he thought about it; the necklace, the way Tommy had taken care of her when she had cake in her hair, the truth or dare thing . . . why hadn't he seen this before?  
  
"You better get her out of your system right now," Ephram said aloud to a far away Tommy as he drove, "because when I get there I'll make damn sure she is,"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"I'm standing on the edge of me  
I'm standing on the edge of me  
I'm standing on the edge of me  
  
I'm standing on the edge"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
Tears creating tiny holes in the snow Amy rest in, she questioned why she was always such a mess. She loved Ephram, she loved Tommy and Micah as friends, and that was it. She would go back inside and explain this . . . if only she could gather enough energy and words to. She opened the door and saw Tommy and Micah asleep on the bed. She sighed. *They get worn out so quickly* she thought, *But this has to be done.* She shook Tommy awake, keeping her face distant from his this time,  
  
"Hm?" he said as he opened his eyes and smiled, "Amy,"  
  
"Come over here, we need to talk," she said and motioned for the bathroom; he listened and in minutes they were holding a much needed conversation.  
  
"Look," Amy said closing the door so the light wouldn't wake Micah, "I care about you,"  
  
"You kissed me . . ." he said running his hand along the outline of her face. She closed her eyes and took his hand away from her.  
  
"We were playing, you KNOW that," she still had her eyes closed.  
  
"It didn't feel that way," he said softly, "I pulled away, you're the one who actually kissed me,"  
  
"I want to be honest with you . . . because I care so much . . ."  
  
"But?" he sighed.  
  
"No buts this time," she explained, "I don't know what comes over me when we're together, but it contradicts everything I hold true to my heart, especially Ephram,"  
  
"What're you saying?" he asked, his voice full of hope.  
  
"That while I do FEEL something," she closed her eyes. She didn't want to admit this to herself, let alone him, "I'm not willing to act on it,"  
  
"But you FELT it! You finally felt what I feel everytime I see you!"  
  
"Yes, I feel it . . . but it isn't right and it isn't something I'm going to do anything about,"  
  
"How can you just ignore it?" he said squeezing her hand.  
  
"Tommy, please don't push this," she said, eyes and voice growing equally serious. He backed down. "Isn't it enough to know that I love you too . . ." He blushed at this and pulled her into a hug; the truth was, that WAS enough.  
  
"We can't do this," she said pulling away from him, "I love Ephram,"  
  
"I understand," he said smiling, "maybe someday . . ."  
  
"I don't think there will ever be a 'someday'" she explained wiping her lips, "I don't plan on ever leaving Ephram," she said and walked out of the bathroom. She sat down in the chair Tommy had slept in the night before and faded into a light sleep.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"And I'm on fire  
  
When You're near me  
  
I'm on fire  
  
When You speak  
  
(Yea) I'm on fire  
  
Burning at these mysteries..."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
Tommy smiled as he looked at himself in the mirror, "she loves me too, and that's enough. I can let go . . ."  
  
Even though it was only midday, both Callahan boys and Amy were asleep. The weather, the emotional tug-of-war, and the fact there was nothing else to do made sleep inviting. They'd stay asleep like that all night.  
  
The next morning, Ephram rolled into the hotel that his father told him they were at. He had stopped in a hotel the night before because the roads were so snowy that he wasn't able to drive a mile without sliding all over. Maybe it was better that he had rested; it gave him time for his anger to subside. After all, he had just come home from being captured and then found out his girlfriend was alone in a hotel with the one man that was able to threaten their relationship. His headlights shone into the window and Amy's eyes shot open. Rubbing her eyes, she jumped out of the chair in worry as she heard a knock at the door. They weren't expecting anyone . . . Dr. Brown had just been there, no one else knew they were there . . . and the roads were so horrible. Certainly no one would want to drive all the way here on them . . .  
  
"Tommy," she said loudly as he sat up and rubbed his eyes much like she had, "someone's at the door,"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
A/N: Okay everyone, it's snowing like CRAZY here so that's why I used a lot of snow in this one. Ugh! The roads are so horrible that I didn't even leave the house today. When I went to let my dog outside the wind was blowing snow into the house! *Shakes head* Yay Wisconsin *rolls eyes* Anyways, thanks for the reviews, keep them up! 


	40. Feels like Home

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 39 uses "Feels like Home," by Chantal Kreviazuk  
  
Chapter 39: Feels like Home  
  
Tommy opened the door and behind it stood a tired looking Ephram. His eyes widened, lips curled and an invisible force pushed him forward into the room to embrace his Amy. She was crying now, the tears from her eyes soaked into his skin, his shirt, and although he hadn't ever looked so rugged and worn, Amy hadn't ever seen a sight as beautiful as he was at that moment. He held her so closely that it was as if they had become one person, and took in her soft scent until he was certain that he'd never forget it. He kissed her ear, her chin, and softly moved to her lips,  
  
"Ephram," she managed to say between his kisses, "I thought I'd lost you," she continued to whisper.  
  
"No," he ran his hand through her hair, "You never will, I promise," he kissed her again.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"Somethin' in your eyes, makes me wanna lose myself  
  
Makes me wanna lose myself, in your arms  
  
There's somethin' in your voice, makes my heart beat fast  
  
Hope this feeling lasts, the rest of my life  
  
If you knew how lonely my life has been  
  
And how long I've been so alone  
  
And if you knew how I wanted someone to come along  
  
And change my life the way you've done"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
Off in the distance, Tommy had gone into the bathroom to think. He paced back and forth until he finally put the toilet seat cover down and sat on it. *This is it, I said I was going to let go of Amy, and I will. I'm going to walk out of this bathroom and never pursue her again. It's what she wants. It's what she needs, and it's what needs to happen so Micah and I can move on with our lives; start fresh.* He thought. He got up, and peeking out the bathroom door, he saw that Amy and Ephram hadn't left each other's embrace. She was hugging him as tightly as when he first came in the room. Not wanting to interrupt, but figuring he probably should to let them know what was going on, he spoke up,  
  
"E, I'm so sorry about my Dad. He's an ass, really. That's why Micah and I got out of there when we did,"  
  
"Your Mom's a sweetheart though," he said, his arms still around Amy's waist, "in fact, she's at my house right now. She finally decided she had to get out too,"  
  
"Mom's there? Well, what if Dad finds her?" he spoke with worry.  
  
"Won't happen," Ephram said with a smile on his face, "My Dad and Dr. Abbott were taking her to the police station to file a report and also talk to them about the Micah situation,"  
  
"Won't you have to testify or something?" Amy asked Ephram gently.  
  
"Yes, but not tonight. I wanted to come here . . . it is Christmas . . ." he said, remembering what Mr. Callahan said about Tommy and Amy. He released his arms from her waist. "Amy," he kissed her lips quickly, "Take Micah to the lobby for a few minutes, Tommy and I need to talk,"  
  
"Ephram . . ." she began.  
  
He softened his eyes to her, and pleaded, "Please, Amy, I have to," she closed her eyes and lifted the sleeping boy off the bed, carrying him out the door.  
  
Ephram closed the door behind her and turned to face Tommy. His eyes narrowed and the color in his face drained. He walked right up to his face so that Tommy could feel his breath,  
  
"Do you love her?" was all he asked at first. Tommy knew the truth would hurt him, but lies would only make things worse.  
  
"Yes," he replied, never blinking. He saw Ephram's fists clenching, "but I'm not doing anything about it,"  
  
"I bet already have though, right?" he asked sarcastically.  
  
"Yes . . ." he couldn't believe he was being this honest.  
  
"Did you sleep with her?" he asked, his face now becoming red.  
  
"No! Absolutely not! She loves you, E," he said defensively.  
  
"So you would've then . . . if I didn't exist,"  
  
"Yes, okay? Probably, but only if she wanted to . . ." he closed his eyes.  
  
Ephram kicked the bed, "Did you kiss her?" his voice was harsh and cold.  
  
"Yes, I did. I didn't mean to, but I did,"  
  
"I know how much she cares for you . . ." he bit his lip in fury.  
  
"We talked about what happened between us . . . and there wasn't a second thought; she wants you Ephram. Hell, I could give her a mansion and she'd still want you. She wants to marry you . . . I know she does . . ." Tommy said, surprised at how comfortable he was telling Ephram this.  
  
"She does?" he asked smiling. No matter how angry he was, hearing something about how much Amy loves him turned everything upside down.  
  
"Yes, and I think someday you will get married," he said truthfully, "and so Amy knows how I feel and I know how she feels. Nothing more,"  
  
Ephram walked out the door and to the lobby. He wanted to see his Queen, he wanted to take her back home and tuck her that night, giving her kisses until she fell asleep. He opened that lobby door and saw her holding Micah as he slept. She smiled at Ephram while he walked into the room. He kissed her cheek and sat on the chair next to her.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me  
  
It feels like I'm all the way back where I come from  
  
It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me  
  
It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"So is he unconscious?" she asked, whispering into his ear so Micah wouldn't hear.  
  
"No," he laughed, "but it got pretty close," he laughed.  
  
"He loves you," he said nervously, waiting to hear what she'd say.  
  
"Yes. I know."  
  
"You love him?"  
  
" . . . Yes, but I'm not in love with him . . . I won't lie to you, Ephram. What I feel for him would be real if it weren't for you. I can't lie to you. But it's not real. I told him I love him . . . and I do . . . but not like I love you . . ."  
  
Ephram's cheeks flushed, "How do you know?" he asked coldly. Amy bit her lip and looked down. She knew this wouldn't go well.  
  
"Because, the whole time I was alone with him I thought of nothing but you," she felt a lump in the back of her throat.  
  
"I KNEW this would happen . . . Dad said . . ." he began to tear up, "Dad said I shouldn't be mad if you loved another, because we're young . . ."  
  
"No, Ephram, you don't understand! Tommy and I never were; never will be. We talked it through, he's not going to do anything about it, and neither am I."  
  
"There shouldn't even be anything to do something ABOUT, Amy," he began to shout, and she felt Micah move a little.  
  
"Ephram, please," she whispered, "you don't know how much I love you,"  
  
"How much then, Amy? How much?" he asked sarcastically.  
  
"I would marry you tomorrow," she said as she felt her throat close, "if I could,"  
  
Ephram fell silent.  
  
"I don't ever want to be apart from you. I know we're sixteen, but I know. I've loved others," she began but paused as she saw Ephram close his eyes, "I never even felt this way about Colin . . .so you have to understand. Things got mixed up with this whole Tommy thing, but the way I feel for you hasn't changed," she began to cry as Micah woke up.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"A window breaks, down a long, dark street  
  
And a siren wails in the night  
  
But I'm alright, 'cause I have you here with me  
  
And I can almost see, through the dark there is light  
  
Well, if you knew how much this moment means to me  
  
And how long I've waited for your touch  
  
And if you knew how happy you are making me  
  
I never thought that I'd love anyone so much"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"Amy? You cwying?" he asked sadly.  
  
"No, honey, here, I'll take you back to your Daddy," she said walking out of the lobby without looking at Ephram and taking Micah back into the room.  
  
She put him down on the bed without saying a word to Tommy and turned to walk out the door again. "Amy," Tommy said slowly, "I've let you go,"  
  
"What?" she asked without turning around.  
  
"I've let you go . . . I won't love you anymore," he said strongly. He knew it wouldn't be as easy as that, but saying it aloud would be a great start.  
  
"Or I you," she said turning to him quickly, "I'm going to be with Ephram now," she said as she turned the door knob to walk outside, but he stopped her once more,  
  
"Go home," he said gently, "Micah, mom and I will move out after the testimony and we'll be out of your lives,"  
  
"I think that's best," Amy said, fighting back the tears. She didn't want to lose a friend, but it was the only way she could get back to her life.  
  
"I won't lose contact," he said "And I expect an invitation to the wedding in a few years,"  
  
"You got it," she said as she opened the door, "And Micah," she turned to look at the confused boy, "Remember I love you, and we'll see each other again. You won't lose me." The small boy nodded as she walked out the door, never turning back.  
  
As she entered the lobby she was lifted off the ground. Ephram had picked her up and was twirling her around. They laughed and smiled,  
  
"I thought you were angry with me," she said.  
  
"He's not worth it," Ephram responded as he carried her out the door.  
  
"What's going on?" she asked still laughing.  
  
"We're going home," he said smiling.  
  
"I love you so much, Ephram," she said pulling him into a deep kiss as he held her in his arms.  
  
"I love you," he said briefly pulling away and then resuming their kiss.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me  
  
It feels like I'm all the way the back where I come from  
  
It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me  
  
It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong  
  
It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
They got into Ephram's car and headed back to Everwood, as Tommy spent his time trying to explain what happened to his tearful son.  
  
"Amy not coming back?" he asked his father.  
  
"No, she's not. Daddy did something wrong, and that's why,"  
  
"What?" he asked wiping his tears away.  
  
"He fell in love with someone who would never fall in love with him,"  
  
"Amy loves Ephram!" Micah said bouncing. The small boy didn't understand what that meant for his father.  
  
"Yes," he said matter-of-factly, but then saw his son smiling, "and you know what?"  
  
"What, Daddy?"  
  
"I love you," he said as he began to tickle his son.  
  
A/N: Well guys, you were starting to lose hope but I told you I'd make it head in the direction you guys wanted (Ephram/Amy) I just had to take it to an extreme before I could turn it around, that's all. Thanks for hanging in there, even if you guys were angry with the story for a little while. From here on out its Ephram/Amy. It's not over, but I've formulated the end in my head. Thanks again for hanging in there and I hope to hear how you're feeling in some reviews. 


	41. The Reason

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 40 uses "The Reason," by Hoobastank  
  
Chapter 40: The Reason  
  
"I suppose we HAVE to go home, right?" Amy asked smiling as Ephram drove them back to Everwood on that Christmas night. He glanced at her and smiled back,  
  
"Most likely, yes. Normally I'd ask you what you meant by that, but knowing won't make saying no to it any easier. If we were just driving around or something then it'd be different, but considering our families are worried as it is about us making it home safely, I'm going to have to resist that puppy dog face you're about to make,"  
  
"Was not," she said smiling, holding back a smile and a laugh.  
  
"I don't believe you," he said moving his hand away from the steering wheel and placing it in one of hers.  
  
"Good," she said and out of the corner of his eye he saw her wink, "So what happens now? With us, I mean," she said, blushing and looking down.  
  
"Well, what typically happens with people who are in love," he started, "We should go out on a few REAL dates, spend time together, learn new things,"  
  
"REAL dates," she whispered, "I've only been on a few of those,"  
  
"You know what I want?" he said, and she sighed, thinking he was about to change the subject, "I want to take things as they come, leave it up to what is,"  
  
"I'm not sure I'm following," she said looking at him as he stared out in front of him at the snow covered road.  
  
"I'm sick of worrying about what's in my future,"  
  
"You never came across like that to me," she said smiling.  
  
"Well, I was. In ways I'm sure I still am, but not with you. I'm all for everything happens for a reason now . . . and it does . . ." he stopped briefly, "I know first hand. You know first hand,"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"I'm not a perfect person  
  
As many things I wish I didn't do  
  
But I continue learning  
  
I never meant to do those things to you  
  
And so I have to say before I go  
  
That I just want you to know  
  
I've found a reason for me  
  
To change who I used to be  
  
A reason to start over new  
  
and the reason is you"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
  
"With Colin it was different. I still can't find a reason for his death. Worry or no worry, you're right. Nothing could've changed what happened to him . . . and although I've accepted it, and have gotten a pretty decent start on getting rid of my depression, I still question why any of it happened at all,"  
  
"Maybe months ago I would've worried that you were still in love with him, but I know you always will love him and I accept that. I don't understand why my Mom died, I don't understand why my Dad and I argued so much . . . but mom's death lead me to Everwood. Dad's arguing led me to talking with him . . . working things out, sort of."  
  
"What do you think the reason for Tommy is?" she asked, biting her lower lip.  
  
"Why do I think he came into our lives?" he asked seriously.  
  
"Yeah," she said and stopped short before saying anything more.  
  
"I think you needed him, and I think he needed you. You went through the same sort of things, all except the child and the abuse, but mainly the same. If nothing else, he definitely brought you and I closer. Almost tore us apart, but brought us closer in the end,"  
  
"And Micah? You think Micah was a sign for you and I to calm down?"  
  
"Definitely. I don't mean to see ungentlemanly like or anything here, Amy, but I'm pretty sure you and I wouldn't be virgins right now if it weren't for that little boy. A wake up call if I ever needed one," he said blushing.  
  
Amy fell silent. She too was blushing. What would she respond to that? "I guess we all have our reasons for things, our purposes," she said as they pulled into Ephram's driveway now. That was the last thing said before they stepped out of his car and into his house.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"I'm sorry that I hurt you  
  
It's something I must live with everyday  
  
And all the pain I put you through  
  
I wish that I could take it all away  
  
And be the one who catches all your tears  
  
That's why I need you to hear  
  
I've found a reason for me  
  
To change who I used to be  
  
A reason to start over new  
  
and the reason is You [x4]"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"Amy! Ephram!" Delia said, running toward them and hugging them both, "You guys have to stay home for Christmas!" she pleaded.  
  
"We plan on it," Ephram said, "Although I think Amy may have to spend it with her family," he said looking at her.  
  
"Yes," she said smiling, "but not the whole day. I'll be back later in the evening," she said looking at a smiling Dr. Brown, "if that's okay of course,"  
  
"Wouldn't have it any other way," he said smiling and putting his arm around her.  
  
Mrs. Callahan walked silently in the room from being in the kitchen. She hadn't ever seen Amy, she'd only heard of her from both Ephram and her son. Micah had mentioned a few things too. Not knowing what had transpired between her son and Amy, Mrs. Callahan stood behind Ephram and nudged him to introduce her.  
  
"Oh, Amy, there's someone I'd like you to meet," he said taking his arm to move Tommy's mother in front of him, "this is Faith Callahan, Tommy's mother,"  
  
While Amy knew who the woman was, her lips slowly curled into a smile as she realized how much of a resemblance there was. And while Faith outstretched her hand to shake Amy's, Amy gave her a friendly hug, as if she already knew her,  
  
"It's so good to meet you, dear," Faith said as she looked at the girl of her son's affections, "Thomas didn't come home?"  
  
"No, the boys sent us home," Amy explained, "Tommy wants to take you and Micah to live in a condo or new house or something after the testimony and things are over,"  
  
"That's what I want too," his mother explained, "will he be home later tonight?"  
  
"I'm not sure, we left in kind of a rush, but I'm sure he'll be back soon," Ephram said smiling.  
  
"Ephram," Amy said, "I need to speak to you in the other room," Ephram's eyebrow rose and cheeks flushed at the idea.  
  
"Excuse us," he said and placed his hand on her back, leading up to his bedroom. When the arrived there, he wrapped his arms around her waist tightly and pulled her into a giant hug. "Now," he said loosening his embrace, "what is it we need to talk about?" and with a goofy face, he looked into her eyes.  
  
"I want you and I to have a little Christmas time of our own. I got you a present and things," she said biting her lip.  
  
"I got you one too," he said pausing and thinking of how much she'd love the sweater. He silently applauded himself. "Why don't you go home to your family now and come back around 8 or 9 tonight?" he said kissing her.  
  
"Okay," she said rubbing his back with one of her hands, "Tommy's mom sees nice,"  
  
"She is," he said nodding, "She'll be glad when he's back home here,"  
  
"I'm sure you won't be," she said seriously.  
  
"I can't blame the guy for loving you, I mean, what's not to love?" He asked looking her up and down, smiling, pointing to her head to imply that's she's smart, kissing her temple and then winking, "You've got everything," he said closing his eyes, "and now so do I," he said breathlessly with eyes still shut. She kissed him once more and then said her temporary goodbye.  
  
"And when I come back," she whispered semi-seductively and ran a finger along his cheek, "we'll have OUR Christmas," and she shut the door, leaving him to fall backwards onto his bed and smile.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"I'm not a perfect person  
  
I never meant to do those things to you  
  
And so I have to say before I go  
  
That I just want you to know  
  
I've found a reason for me  
  
To change who I used to be  
  
A reason to start over new  
  
and the reason is you"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
When she got downstairs she told everyone she'd be back, and Faith ran outside after her, "Dear, what's really going on with Tommy? Are he and Micah okay? I didn't want to ask in front of everyone, especially Ephram," she started.  
  
"They're fine, yes," she said smiling, "however circumstances with Tommy and I have changed," she said stopping to talk to his mother.  
  
"You're still friends though, dear, right?" she asked smiling hopefully.  
  
"In ways," she said honestly, "I'll always care about he and Micah, but I can't give him what he needs,"  
  
"Love?" she asked closing her eyes and nodding, "I knew he was in love with you, and when I met Ephram . . . I saw how much HE loves and needs you,"  
  
"It's like I told Tommy, It's not that I WANT to be away from him, but being near him isn't good for me,"  
  
Faith nodded, "I understand. Pardon my questions, I know I hardly know you and these are pretty personal . . . but I care about my son and I know how much he cared for you, I just want to know he's okay,"  
  
"It's fine," Amy said smiling, "Things may seem awkward between he and I, but it's not like we hate one another," she paused, "I wish I could talk more, but I should get home," she said pointing,  
  
"Right, how silly of me to keep you on Christmas," Mrs. Callahan said smiling, "I'll see you around then, dear,"  
  
"Yeah, Merry Christmas," Amy said as she started walking down the road.  
  
"Wait, Amy!" Dr. Brown shouted from behind her. Amy turned around again laughing. She'd never get home at this rate.  
  
"You're WALKING home?" he asked out of breath  
  
"Yeah, my car's at home," she said laughing.  
  
"I'll drive you, kid, it's pretty cold," he said and they walked back to his car.  
  
"Thanks, Dr. Brown," she said smiling.  
  
"You can stop calling me that now," he said laughing, "You know you're like family,"  
  
"Oh, I . . ." she said not knowing what to say.  
  
"Call me Andy," he said looking at her as they approached a stop light, "and maybe someday you'll call me 'Dad." She fell silent, blushing, and he accelerated as the light turned green.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````  
  
"I've found a reason to show  
  
A side of me you didn't know  
  
A reason for all that I do  
  
And the reason is you" 


	42. Gold to Me

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters, I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 41 uses: "Gold to Me" by Ben Harper  
  
Chapter 41: Gold To Me  
  
"Now when we get home," Tommy said buckling his son in the car seat in the back, "your grandma will be there waiting,"  
  
"And grandpa too?!" he asked excitedly.  
  
"No, Grandpa had other things to take care of, son." If only Micah could understand on his own. If he were a little older it'd be a lot easier, but there was no way he could explain it to an almost three year old.  
  
"Oh," he said sadly, "Amy?"  
  
"Remember what I told you?"  
  
"Amy is our fwiend," Micah said smiling.  
  
"That's right," he said opening his car door and putting his key in the ignition. "We'll be back home in no time," as he pulled away from the hotel parking lot.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"You look like gold to me  
and I'm not too blind to see  
you look like gold  
  
you make me wanna sing  
with all the joy you bring  
you look like gold  
  
like the rays down from the sun  
when a new day has just begun  
you look like gold"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````  
  
Ephram, Delia, Andy and Faith were gathered around the Christmas tree. They had waited to open presents with Ephram, and Delia was on her last strand of patience.  
  
"Hey, I'm ten, Christmas is still exciting to me!" she said as she danced around. Ephram laughed,  
  
"I'm not saying I'm not excited,"  
  
"He's just waiting for Aaaammmmyyy to come back," Delia told her father.  
  
"Oh, right," Andy said smiling at a blushing Ephram, "What time will she be here?"  
  
"In about an hour," he said smiling, "Well, let's get going with presents then," he said changing the subject. They had been distributed out, and while Faith didn't have any, Ephram assured her that she'd given him the best present ever by letting him come home to his family.  
  
"Delia can go first," Ephram said, as she was opening one of her gifts, "seeing as she already HAS," he teased. The not so perfectly wrapped blue gift was from Ephram. There was about a roll of tape holding the paper on, making it nearly impossible to work with.  
  
"Hm, remind me to teach you a better technique later," Andy teased his son.  
  
"Very funny," he said rolling his eyes, but smiling to show that he was only joking.  
  
As she finally got all of the tape off, she unfolded a Colorado Rockies shirt. "This is great!" she said at first, "but I've been thinking . . . maybe I would start dressing more lady like . . . Amy and I have been talking . . ." she didn't want to seem ungrateful.  
  
"That's why I got you a backup present," he said encouraging her to continue looking under the tissue paper in that box. Beneath the white layer was a baby blue sweater, quite like the one he bought for Amy in every way except for the color. Delia gasped at how much she liked it, "Ephram! You CAN pick out clothes!" she said hugging him, "It's awesome, thanks,"  
  
"I figured I couldn't go wrong with one of each," he said smiling.  
  
"Here's yours from me," she said handing him a much more nicely wrapped gift. As he removed the paper, he saw a picture frame that she had made and a picture of he and Amy in it," Ephram was surprised at her thoughtfulness. He was sure she'd have gotten him a CD or movie.  
  
"Delia," he said smiling, "this is by far one of the best presents I've ever received," he said rubbing her head, all she did was smile. She felt older that day.  
  
"Okay, presents from Dad now!" Delia said handing them out. They opened them happily and were very pleased with what they received. One of the things Andy had gotten Ephram was a book of tips on composing music,  
  
"I know you probably know all of those things already," he said as his son paged through the book, "but I thought maybe it could help a little," Ephram closed the book and smiled,  
  
"It's great, Dad, thanks," He said getting up and hugging him. Delia's favorite gift from her father was a curling iron. For being ten, she was certainly starting to feel grown up.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"I've been fooled before  
but now I know  
I've made the mistake in the past  
but now I know the difference  
from gold and brass  
  
not the kind of gold you wear  
but the kind that can feel my care  
you look like gold"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
It was nearing eight o'clock now and Ephram had excused himself to go change his clothes for Amy. He picked a charcoal sweater and khakis. Fixing his hair and spraying on a little cologne, he wondered what that night would hold. *Our OWN Christmas,* he could hear her voice in his head as if she was in the room with him at that moment. He smiled as he heard the doorbell ring.  
  
On the other side of the door stood a very nicely dressed Amy. She wore a perfectly white, yet casual dress, and her hair was curled. When Ephram's hand immediately touched it, it bounced freely. He smiled,  
  
"You look beautiful," he said taking her hand and leading her inside, "I've never seen your hair like that before,"  
  
"Something new I thought I'd try. Luckily it sort of worked out," she said smiling and touching it herself now, "Did you have a nice Christmas with your family?"  
  
"Yeah, it was hard without mom, even though it's been awhile, but it was still nice," he explained, "And yours?"  
  
"Bright ate one too many pieces of Christmas cake so he was complaining the whole time we opened presents, but other than that it was pretty nice. My family didn't flip out about me being gone or anything. I think they're just glad I'm safe,"  
  
"This will all end soon," he said, referring to the Callahan situation, "and we can finally get back to normal," he said kissing the tip of her nose, "whatever THAT is," he laughed.  
  
"Things with you and I have never been normal, Ephram," he said smiling at him, "We've never really had a period of time when there was just you and I happy without someone else in the back of our minds. First there was Colin," she said for the first time without her voice shaking since his death; a great accomplishment, "And then Madison, and the Tommy,"  
  
"Guess normalcy doesn't like us," he said taking her hand.  
  
"I think it's more like we don't like normalcy," she said nodding and smiling, "besides, you're too caring of a person to disregard what's going on around you,"  
  
"You're not so shabby yourself, little lady," he said winking as he lead her up to his room. She smiled and followed him up the stairs.  
  
"Those kids are crazy in love," Faith said to Delia as they sat around the tree still, "I can tell," she paused, "I used to be that way with my husband,"  
  
"Ephram's always loved Amy, ever since he first saw her," Delia responded looking at the stairs,  
  
"It's taken them a long time to get where they are," Andy said as he reentered the room with mugs of hot chocolate for everyone, "I just hope they know what they're getting themselves into,"  
  
"What do you mean by that?" Faith asked, sipping the drink slowly.  
  
"I love my son, and I love Amy as a daughter, I really do. I just hope they can make responsible decisions. They're very young, and to be that much in love . . ."  
  
"Thomas loved Abby that way," Faith interrupted without realizing it. She stared out the window as if she were looking for him, "I never agreed with what they did," she said, referring to sleeping together, "but I love that little boy that came from it," she smiled.  
  
"Your son is a really nice young man," Andy said as he saw headlights pulling into the driveway, "I wish him the world,"  
  
"And he'll get it," Faith said proudly, walking to the door and hugging her son and sleeping grandson with tears streaming down her face, "you're home. You're finally home," was all she kept saying.  
  
Delia moved next to her father and leaned up against him, "I wish mom was here,"  
  
"So do I, sweetheart, so do I," he said, tears filling in his eyes.  
  
Ephram shut the door and Amy moved to look out the window. "Remember when I told you that Everwood has good snow?" she turned to him.  
  
"Yes," he smiled, "that was one of the reasons I stayed here," he moved to wrap his arms around her small waist, "and one of the others was because of you," he leaned forward to kiss her right cheek. They were holding each other silently before Ephram spoke again, "have you ever made a Christmas wish?"  
  
"No, I've never heard of that before," she spoke sweetly; she was interested.  
  
"Neither had I, but Faith told me about it. I wished for this Christmas to be the last we spend apart," he closed his eyes, "but I guess we aren't apart after all,"  
  
"Nope," she said hugging him again, "I want to give you something," she whispered in his ear.  
  
She slid off her coat and placed it in the chair by his desk. "Amy," he blushed, "I thought we agreed to wait," his voice squeaked.  
  
She threw a notebook she found on his desk at him, "Perv," she joked, "I wasn't talking about that," he laughed and put his hands up in surrender. "I was talking," she pulled a box out of her coat, "about this," she handed it to him.  
  
He unwrapped it slowly and saw that it was silver ring. He slipped it out of the box and held it up to the light so he could see it better, "this is awesome, Amy," he said kissing her. She took it from him and slid it onto his left ring finger,  
  
"I hope I'm not being to forward," she whispered as he held her in his arms, "but I want it to serve as a promise ring," she began to explain, "Not just for one promise, but for as many as we want,"  
  
"Well I promise that I will love you and only you," he said touching her cheek, "And I promise, thought it will be hard, especially tonight, that I will wait for as long as you need," he whispered in his ear, referring to them sleeping together.  
  
"About that," she began and his eyebrows rose in question. "I was wondering," she stopped and looked down again at his finger.  
  
"Tell me," he said as he moved his hand to rest her head against his shoulder.  
  
"I've decided I want to wait until I'm married," she said closing her eyes. She knew they were young; knew that making a promise like this would probably be one of the hardest things to keep as she grew older and more in love with a man like Ephram. She wondered how he'd take it; would be become upset but try to hide it? To her surprise he smiled and kissed her once,  
  
"I think that's a very good decision," he nodded.  
  
"So you aren't angry?" she asked nervously.  
  
"Not at all," he reassured her, "besides, you look so pretty in that dress, why would I want you to take it off?" he smiled and winked.  
  
"Oh Ephram, I love you," she threw her arms around him and pulled him more closely, "that means so much to me,"  
  
"I love you too," he said smiling; "now it's time for you to open your present!" he hurried to his closet and pulled out the box. She unwrapped the once again less than becoming package and smiled as she pulled out the pink sweater,  
  
"This is beautiful," she blushed, her face gathering so much blood that it was almost the exact tint of the sweater, "I'll think of you every time I wear it,"  
  
"I'd hoped it was okay," he said relieved, even though he secretly had pretended he was certain. They laid down on his bed on top of the covers, so as not to make her recent promise so easy to break, and fell asleep to the Christmas music playing downstairs.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
"some shine when the day is new  
but fade when the day is through  
but you look like gold  
  
I've been wrong before  
but now I know  
I've made mistakes in the past  
but now I know the difference  
from gold and brass"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````  
  
Tommy, Faith, and Micah were all smiling and laughing as Tommy told his mother of funny things the small boy had done since he'd last seen her. As Micah went to sleep, Tommy broke down in his mother's arms as he looked for strength and comfort to overcome his worry about what to do concerning his father.  
  
"It's not that he doesn't love you," Faith said holding her son's head in her arms, "It's just that he doesn't know how to love someone in the normal way. I'm not making excuses for that man, not anymore, but he's never hated you, even if he says he does,"  
  
"Well I'm sorry mom, but I hate him for what he's done," he told her seriously. All she did was hold onto him more tightly. "I want to leave Everwood," he continued as his gasps calmed down, "I have no reason to stay here anymore if you come with,"  
  
"Not even Ephram and Amy? They've been so kind,"  
  
"I've taken them for granted. I don't love Amy like that anymore, Mom, she's just a friend,"  
  
"I know, she's told me,"  
  
"You've talked with her?"  
  
"Yes, she was a very sweet girl," she said smiling.  
  
"Ephram's a great friend and an even better boyfriend to her, he deserves her. I understand that now. I'll find someone someday that can love me the way Amy loves Ephram, don't worry,"  
  
"I know you will," Faith said as she took her last sip of hot chocolate, "now go to sleep, you've been through too much lately, you'll get worn down," she nudged him to go in the other room.  
  
"Okay, mom," he said smiling, "It's nice to have someone telling me what to do again. I was beginning to realize I don't know everything there is to know about life," he said moving into the guest room upstairs.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
"you look like gold to me  
and I'm down on bending knees  
you look like gold  
and I just want you to know  
to me you mean so much more  
than all the gold  
you look like gold"  
  
A/N: By the way everyone, no one get any funny ideas about Faith and Andy. They aren't going to be in a relationship, so no one get upset. I just wanted to put that in here in case this chapter suggested it in anyway. Thanks for reading and reviewing! 


	43. Breathing

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 42 uses "Breathing," by Lifehouse  
  
Chapter 42: Breathing  
  
"Amy! Amy! Amy!" Micah said jumping up and down on Ephram's bed. They had fallen asleep without realizing it, and she ended up staying there all night. Amy rubbed her eyes as she tried to comprehend what was going on, "why are you sweeping in Ephram's bed?" he asked confused as his jumping came to an immediate halt.  
  
"Yeah, well you see, Micah . . ." she started to think up ways to explain what had happened. In reality, nothing had happened. They had slept, and that was it. Not that a boy as young as Micah knew anything "sleeping with someone" in any way except for actual sleeping, but he still knew that boys and girls shouldn't sleep in the same bed. Ephram was still sound asleep, and Amy couldn't free herself to get up because he was laying on her right arm. Somehow in the middle of the night they DID end up sleeping under the covers, against their original plan. Micah still looked at her with a confused look, waiting for her answer,  
  
"You know how you and I sometimes fall asleep on the same bed?" Tommy interrupted from the hallway, turning his gaze away from the two lovebirds and taking his son's hand. "That's what happened with Ephram and Amy," Micah smiled and nodded, but then shook his head in confusion again,  
  
"You never swept with Amy," he said honestly, setting in noticeable awkwardness.  
  
"That's different, I'll tell you how later," he said trying to stop the developing game of 20 questions.  
  
"Okay Daddy, morning Amy!" he said running back to her again, but he was stopped by his Dad's hand clasping gently around his son's tiny arm once again, Micah stopped and looked at his father,  
  
"Second lesson for today; girls need alone time in the morning. I'm sure Ephram will be leaving soon to let her wake up," he explained, knowing Ephram would've leave if his life depended on it.  
  
"Huh?" Ephram said, finally waking, and sitting up. Amy immediately tore her arm away from underneath him and shook it around to wake it up.  
  
"I'll see you guys later then," Tommy said, knowing it'd be easier to leave before Ephram regained full attention. It'd lessen the awkwardness, not that he could avoid it forever. He closed the door behind them, leaving Amy and Ephram alone once again.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````  
  
"I'm finding my way back to sanity again  
  
Though I don't really know what  
  
I'm gonna do when I get there  
  
And take a breath and hold on tight  
  
Spin around one more time  
  
And gracefully fall back to the arms of grace  
Cause I am hanging on every word you say  
  
And even if you don't want to speak tonight  
  
That's alright, alright with me  
  
Cause I want nothing more than to sit  
  
Outside Heaven's door and listen to you breathing  
  
Is where I want to be yeah  
  
Where I want to be" ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ` Ephram laid his head back down on the pillow and released air that he had once used to puff out his cheeks,  
  
"I can't even believe how hard of a sleeper you are," she said laughing and resting her head back down on his chest. He caressed her hair with his left hand and closed his eyes, "Micah burst in here and started jumping on the bed. You felt nothing?"  
  
"Pretty much," he said still half asleep. Amy took advantage of the situation. After all, it wasn't often that she was with Ephram when he was this vulnerable and confused. She ran her hand along his stomach then after a few seconds, when it looked like he was just about to drift back into sleep, she moved swiftly to his ribs and began tickling them full force. If that didn't wake him, her giggling sure did,  
  
"Okay, okay, I'm awake!" He said laughing and sitting up, "Can you blame a guy for wanting to fall asleep next to his girl again?"  
  
"Well aren't you charming?" she said sarcastically, "look what your back did to my arm!" she said pointing to the pattern on her right arm.  
  
"Looks like the state of Wisconsin," he said bringing her skin close to his face to take a closer look. She rolled her eyes,  
  
"Only you could make sleep patterns into states, Ephram Brown,"  
  
"No, no look," he said pointing, "There's Lake Michigan, hell, I think I even see a cow in there," he said and she pulled her arm away quickly. It was her specialty to pretend that she was upset with him over the silliest of things. She pouted out her bottom lip and crossed her arms,  
  
"My arm does NOT look like a cow," she turned her head, trying to conceal the smile that was uncontrollably forming on her lips. He smiled, knowing she was joking, and pulled her arm back,  
  
"Hmm . . ." he said kissing her arm, "It doesn't TASTE like cheese," he raised his eyebrows up and down a few times, making her laugh,  
  
"You're strange, you know that?" she said blushing, "Cheese shouldn't make me turn red, Ephram," she closed her eyes. She loved that Ephram could make her laugh. It didn't matter how crabby or sad or tired she was, seeing him always made her feel better. He toppled over her and began tickling her feet in revenge. Amy was one of those people that gasped when anyone even got near her feet. It was as if they was a zone around them that was ticklish without contact,  
  
"Stop! Hey, I said knock it off! Hey!" she said between gasps and giggles, "I'm wearing a DRESS! And I think, at the rate you're going, you can see up it," she said pulling it down, "so if you'll just stop for one second!" but the rest was muffled in giggles.  
  
"Not likely, you got me pretty good," he said pointing to his ribs with one of his hands. Not realizing that it was only six in the morning, since they had been woken up by someone else, they didn't think to keep their voices down. They didn't become aware that it was six in the morning until a very tired, confused looking Mrs. Callahan knocked on Ephram's door. Being fully clothed all night was a benefit in the morning; it meant he didn't have to worry about answering the door in his boxers. He flattened his hair and turned the knob,  
  
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"I'm looking past the shadows  
  
In my mind into the truth  
  
And I'm trying to identify  
  
The voices in my head  
  
God, which one's you  
  
Let me feel one more time  
  
What it feels like to feel  
  
And break these calluses off of me  
  
One more time"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"Faith," he said, closing the door so she couldn't see Amy laying in his bed.  
  
"Ephram, its six o clock," she said, her eyes had bags under them, "I know I don't LIVE here, so I don't really have a say in what time people get up, but could you just try to be a little quieter, dear,"  
  
"It's SIX O'CLOCK?" he asked in disbelief.  
  
"Yeah," she said, then becoming more awake, she pushed the door open a little more, "in fact, I've never seen your room dear," she began to walk in,  
  
"Um, you don't want to right now. It's pretty messy, and there's more in here than usual, so I'll invite you up later today okay?" he lied.  
  
"Oh please," she said rolling her eyes, "you act as if I've never seen a teenage boy's room," she continued but stopped dead in her words as she saw Amy sitting very sleepily and red faced on his bed. "Oh my, what have I walked in on?" she switched her gaze between the two teens,  
  
"Nothing, Amy just fell asleep here last night," he said honestly, "I swear. Not that I have to swear to you, you don't really have to know what I do," he reminded her in his defense,  
  
"Don't get the wrong idea, Eph, I'm not trying to tell you what to do," she said with care, "I was just surprised," she walked out of the room still mumbling. Ephram shut the door and turned back to Amy, who was doubled over in laughter.  
  
"A little embarrassment is worth getting away from your tickling hands," she announced, proudly holding her arms up in the air in triumph.  
  
"Just wait, it'll return when you least expect it," he said sort of growling and moving to kiss her,  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"Cause I am hanging on every word you say  
  
And even if you don't want to speak tonight  
  
That's alright, alright with me  
  
Cause I want nothing more than to sit  
  
Outside your door and listen to you breathing  
  
Is where I want to be yeah"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
Downstairs, Andy was sitting at the table reading the newspaper and sipping his coffee. It was December 26th, a day that should've been acknowledged as national shopping day. It was expected to be way worse than the day after thanksgiving this year, so he was planning to avoid even leaving the house. The testimony was tomorrow and a day of rest was something they all needed.  
  
"Dad, is it okay if I invite Bright over here to watch tv with me?" Delia asked nervously, twisting her hair. Andy looked up from his newspaper,  
  
"Bright Abbott?" he asked furrowing his brow as Delia nodded, "Honey, isn't he a little too old for Spongebob?"  
  
"No one can be too old for Spongebob," Tommy said carrying Micah down the stairs and into the kitchen, "Besides, I'm sure Bright is bored," he continued, winking at Delia, "I'll invite him over,"  
  
"Sure, why not?" Andy said, taking a sip of his coffee, "the more the merrier I guess,"  
  
Delia tried to hide her excitement, but it was impossible. She left the room jumping and Tommy laughed and followed her,  
  
"Thanks, Tommy," she said giving him a hug. He was surprised that she felt so comfortable around him, "not that I like Bright or anything," she said faking certainty.  
  
"Of course not," he said winking at her. Tommy picked up the phone and invited Bright over,  
  
"Hey, Bright? It's Tommy,"  
  
"Callahan, what the hell do you want, aside from my sister, that is?" Bright asked sarcastically.  
  
"Let's get one thing straight here, Abbott. I don't want your sister. Besides, she's already here, and so is Ephram, obviously,"  
  
"Rubbing it in my face then?" he asked.  
  
"No, inviting you," he said, catching Bright off guard.  
  
"Oh, well, um, I might have some things to do," Bright said, "I'm pretty busy right now actually," he continued as he turned off the tv and put down his cereal bowl,  
  
"Sorry if I woke you, I figured you'd be up for cartoons," he said seriously,  
  
"Normally, that would insult an 18 year old guy, but not me. Cartoons rule, Callahan, come on!"  
  
"Hey, hey," Tommy replied laughing, "I didn't say anything against cartoons. So, you coming or what?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll be over in like an hour," he said and hung up the phone.  
  
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"I don't want a thing from you  
  
Bet you're tired of me waiting  
  
For the scraps to fall  
  
Off of your table to the ground  
  
Cause I just want to be here now" 


	44. UnSweet Sixteen

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 43 uses "Un-sweet Sixteen" by Wakefield  
  
Chapter 43: Un-Sweet Sixteen  
  
"Hey, you guys!" Delia screamed up the stairs, apparently knowing Amy was there all night, "you better come down here, Bright's coming over,"  
  
Although Amy's giggling was pretty loud, they still managed to hear Delia and jumped up from bed. "What? Bright's coming?" Amy asked in a confused tone, "I know he'll have something to say about the two of us here all night,"  
  
"Well, your parents never called so you can't be in too much trouble," he comforted her, fixing his hair. Amy smiled and tried to smooth out the seemingly permanent wrinkles in her white dress.  
  
"You're right," she said running her fingers through her hair as a makeshift brush. "I worry too much,"  
  
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"Bang! Bang! on the bathroom door  
  
You say you can't take it anymore  
  
I say let's even out the score  
  
I'm sorry  
  
Fall! Fall! The tears are falling  
  
Ring! Ring! Who's that calling?  
  
Stop! Stop! Stop your bawling  
  
I'm sorry"  
  
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"Bright!" Rose Abbott yelled just as he was about to open the door and leave for Ephram's. He spun around and put his hands, his right one holding the keys, in the air. Rose had made her way into the room now and was standing in front of him with her hands on her hips. "Where are YOU going now?"  
  
"I'm going to Ephram's. Everyone's there," he explained in a whiny tone.  
  
"Including your sister!" she pressed her hand up against the door so he couldn't open it. "And you will tell her to get home right now," she demanded.  
  
"Come on mom, its no big deal, we're all just going to hang out," he said, sticking up for Amy. "It's still Christmas . . . kind of." A hopeful smile spread across his face.  
"Lucky for Amy, I knew where she was last night. God forbid she run off and not tell us where she's going . . . but that doesn't excuse the fact that she didn't call us to say she wouldn't be home, or that she stayed overnight at her boyfriend's house!"  
  
"You like Ephram," his voice pleading for understanding, "he's a good guy and Amy's got a head on her shoulders,"  
  
"I don't care," she insisted, "tell her to come home right away or I'm going there and getting her," Bright was shocked at his mother's sudden anger and resentment towards Amy, but the look in her eye was enough to make him comply.  
  
"Okay," he exhaled as she released her hold on the door.  
  
"Rose, what is all this yelling about?" Harold asked as he walked down the stairs.  
  
"You're daughter, that's what," she said angrily, "She has GOT to stop being irresponsible, and like I said before, you have got to stop bowing down to her"  
  
"I'm not saying that Amy shouldn't assume some responsibility, Rose, but our daughter's been in quite a fix lately. It probably just slipped her mind. What's sparked this anyway?"  
  
She spent the night with Ephram last night," she said walking out of the room. Harry's eyes narrowed, his stomach dropped. He was willing to go out on any limb for his little girl, but something such as this deserved immediate questions. "Don't worry," she shouted from the kitchen, "Bright's sending her home immediately,"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````  
  
"Un-sweet sixteen  
  
Always acting like a beauty queen  
  
Like you're posing in a magazine  
  
Un-sweet sixteen  
  
Un-sweet sixteen  
  
Homecoming queen  
  
Breaking down my self esteem  
  
My un-sweet sixteen"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
  
"Hey, is it okay if I help Tommy pick out some movies to watch?" Delia asked Dr. Brown, who'd given Tommy permission to use the car.  
  
"Sure, honey," he said rubbing her head, "pick out one for me to watch later too, okay?"  
  
"Sure!" she said smiling and taking Tommy's arm that he had extended to her.  
  
Micah was staying home. After his energy burst that morning, he'd come to a crash landing right in the middle of the family room floor; sleeping to the not-so-gentle speech of a guest on the Maury show. Faith was watching it, said it was her usual morning routine.  
  
"You know that's trash, right?" Andy said as he walked in the room.  
  
"Sometimes its nice to see that I'm not the only living in a house with a man that's abusive," she sighed seriously. Andy closed his eyes.  
  
"The testimony's tomorrow," he breathed, "and after that you'll be free. I promise,"  
  
"I hope so," she said nervously, then turned her gaze back to the television.  
  
The doorbell rang and a very anxious looking Bright stepped into the house as Andy opened the door. "Where's my sister?"  
  
"Just a second," he said and turned to yell up the stairs. Amy and Ephram hadn't come down yet, and while it made Dr. Brown sort of nervous, he'd spoken to Ephram and believed that nothing was going that shouldn't be for people their age. "AMY!" At Andy's call, Amy ran down the stairs still fixing her hair. She stopped on the fourth stair from the bottom,  
  
"Bright . . . why do you have that weird look on your face that you only get when something bad's about to happen?"  
  
"Mom's flipping out," he explained and walked over to the stairs, "You better get home right now . . ."  
  
"What?! What's mom's deal lately anyway?" she asked angrily.  
  
"I don't know . . . but she seemed pretty angry," just then Ephram came down the stairs and stopped behind Amy.  
  
"Hey Bright how's it," he began but paused when he sensed the seriousness, " . . . going?" Bright and Amy ignored Ephram's question as Amy grabbed her coat. She turned and kissed Ephram on the cheek and said she'd explain later. She caught Tommy and Delia just as they were leaving and asked for a ride. Bright hung out the door and yelled to her,  
  
"Hey, if you want me to come home . . . you know, if something happens and you want to talk, just call, okay?" he said seriously. Amy nodded through the car window, touched by her brother's sweet offer.  
  
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"She! She! She only smiled  
  
Smile! Smile! Cuz that's my style  
  
But you acted like a child  
  
Neurotic  
  
Won't let this whole thing go away  
  
Cuz you thought that I was out to play  
  
I just don't know what to say  
  
You're psychotic  
  
Un-sweet sixteen  
  
Always acting like a beauty queen  
  
Like you're posing in a magazine  
  
Un-sweet sixteen  
  
Un-sweet sixteen  
  
Homecoming queen  
  
Breaking down my self esteem  
  
My un-sweet sixteen"  
  
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"Man . . ." Ephram said slowly, "And we were going to watch movies,"  
  
"We still can, bro. Hey," he whispered pulling him aside, "Is it true that Callahan's finally off Amy now?"  
  
"Yeah, that's what they say," Ephram said smiling with certainty.  
  
"And you just believe them?" he was shocked.  
  
"I believe Amy," he said seriously, "I believe everything she says, because she wouldn't lie to me,"  
  
Bright smiled and slapped him on the back, "You know, more people should be like you, Eph," Ephram laughed and heard the doorbell ring. On the other side of it stood Kayla, looking quite frozen.  
  
"What're you doing here?" Bright asked, knowing she and Amy were on bad terms.  
  
"I saw Tommy and Delia and Amy driving away and they pulled over and said there was a party type thing here, sorry I kinda invited myself . . ."  
  
"It's cool," Ephram said, letting her in the house.  
  
"Yeah, Amy didn't look at me at all, but you know how that goes," she said softly as she saw Bright's face suggesting hostility,  
  
"She had to leave, had to be home," Bright explained.  
  
"Oh," she said snottily, "what a shame," and placed her hand on Ephram's shoulder, causing him to back away.  
  
"You know what?" He said, taking Kayla's hand off his shoulder, "I think we might have some snacks in the kitchen," pointing to the other room, and starting to walk in there.  
  
"Don't even try it, Kayla," Bright warned her, making sure she understood what her place concerning Ephram was, "You may have hurt my sister's feelings, but I won't let you break my sister's heart,"  
  
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"Rah!  
  
Un-sweet sixteen  
  
Always acting like a beauty queen  
  
Like you're posing in a magazine  
  
Un-sweet sixteen  
  
Un-sweet sixteen  
  
Homecoming queen  
  
Breaking down my self esteem  
  
My un-sweet sixteen  
  
Un-sweet sixteen  
  
Un-sweet sixteen  
  
Un-sweet sixteen  
  
My un-sweet sixteen"  
  
A/N: Hey everyone. Im back at school now. Sorry that this chapter's a little shorter. I've been so busy with studying and stuff. I'm trying to update as soon as possible so please bear with me and keep on reviewing! Thanks again. 


	45. Disappear

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or its charcters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 44 uses "Disappear" by Hoobastank  
  
Chapter 44: Disappear  
  
Amy ran into the house and slammed the door. Inside, her mother and father were waiting impatiently on the couch. It was as if someone else took over Amy's body; she said things and acted in ways she never had before. If Ephram would've seen her acting this way he might have taken a second thought about being so deeply involved with her, she thought. With more gall than ever before, she marched right in front of them, hands on hips, speaking louder than they appreciated.  
  
"Why did you ask Bright to send me home? You embarrassed me!"  
  
"Excuse us if we want to talk to you," Her mother said sarcastically, "Amy, you have to be more responsible. You're only sixteen,"  
  
"I AM responsible," she said loudly, making her father cringe and her mother stand up and get in her daughter's face. "Mom, I've experienced more in my life as a sixteen year old than you and Dad probably EVER have,"  
  
"That's irrational," Dr. Abbott said firmly, "You have no idea what your mother and I have been through,"  
  
"You've lost respect for us, you've lost responsibility; Amy . . . you've changed. You used to call us, we used to always know where you were,"  
  
"You mean when Colin was alive?" she said snottily, "Well guess what Mom, Dad . . . Colin's dead, okay? He's gone. Maybe that part of me died with him! Maybe the only person that can make me happy anymore is across town with Bright and Tommy and everyone else."  
  
"Ephram is not Colin," Dr. Abbott obviously stated,  
  
"Like I don't know that?!" she said dumbfounded, "I'm trying to move on with my life. Now excuse me if I didn't call you ONE TIME!"  
  
"Lower your voice," Dr. Abbott advised, "this isn't just about not calling, Amy," He shifted his gaze from his daughter to his wife, who's face was burning red. "Rose, I think Amy and I need to have a private discussion,"  
  
"I'm her mother, I have a right to be here," she said refusing to move.  
  
"See, this is why I'm starting to never want to be here anymore! Mom, Dad wants to talk to me, he asked nicely. You step ALL over us!"  
"This is why things have to change around here," Rose said storming out of the room, "And Harold, if you let her off the hook . . ." was all he heard as she made her way outside.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"There's a pain that sleeps inside  
  
It sleeps with just one eye  
  
And awakens the moment that you're near  
  
Though I try to look away  
  
The pain it still remains  
  
Only leaving when you're next to me  
  
Do you know, that everytime you're near  
  
Everybody else seems far away  
  
So can you come and make them disappear  
  
Make them disappear and we can stay"  
  
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
Harold stood up to instruct his daughter to sit down next to him on the couch. There was a connection between Harry and Amy; even though he was firm with her, he normally let her speak her mind and tell him how she felt. Amy's hands pressed up against her face as tears gently swelled in here eyes.  
  
"Mom's getting out of control," she said softly.  
  
"Your mother and I love you. She has different techniques than I do, that's all,"  
  
"Why is she angry with me?" she honestly couldn't tell what was making her parents upset.  
  
"You're growing up, Amy. No one's trying to stop you or tell you who you should be. It's just that . . . well recently you've been gone a lot and the situations you've been involved in aren't exactly right for a woman your age to going through," he breathed as Amy sat surprisingly quietly and attentively, "I'm talking of course about the Callahan's. Now that things are finally straightening out there, we expect you to tell us what's going on with you and tell us when you're going out, who you're going with . . . chances are it will be okay as long as you've done what you need to around the house. I know you and Ephram have become extremely close recently, and . . ."  
  
"I think I know where this is going," she said closing her eyes, "and we've already talked about everything,"  
  
"I don't mean to be personal or anything here, but you and Ephram haven't . . ."  
"No, Dad, we haven't," she said seriously, "and that's the truth. I told him I want to wait until I'm married and he's accepted this,"  
  
"That's very good, Amy . . . I just worry about you. Your mother does too. She has . . . tough love, in a way,"  
  
"I love you too, Dad, but I can't stand the way Mom's acting towards me lately," she said sadly, "She says I've changed, but she hasn't exactly stayed the same either,"  
  
"We've asked you home tonight to talk to you, and if I let you go back to Ephram's house I'd be going against what your mother wants, so you'll have to stay here,"  
  
"But Dad!" she said upset.  
  
"No, Amy. I'm sorry, you can't always have your way, this is half of the problem your mother has with you. I'm too easy with you," he said kindly.  
  
"At least one parent cares about me," she said running up the stairs crying.  
  
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"So I stand and look around  
  
Distracted by the sounds  
  
Of everyone and everything I see  
  
And I search through every face  
  
Without a single trace, of the person  
  
The person that I need  
  
Do you know, that every time you're near  
  
Everybody else seems far away  
  
So can you come and make them disappear  
  
Make them disappear and we can stay"  
  
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
Tommy and Delia arrived at the Brown's a few minutes later with two movies, one for them and the other for Andy, as he requested. Delia set them down on the counter and turned to look at Bright, her cheeks lightly flushing.  
  
"Hey kiddo," he said rubbing the top of her head, "I hear it was your idea to get everyone together," he bent down to look at her.  
  
"Well, kind of," she giggled, "glad you could come,"  
  
"I wish Amy was here," Ephram said as Kayla continued trying to slip her hand nonchalantly around his back. She backed off, removing her hand and folding her arms across her chest.  
  
"I wish Amy was anywhere but at home right now," Bright said seriously, "Mom's out for her blood or something lately,"  
  
Receiving nothing but obviously angry eyes from Bright and noticing that Tommy had just come in the room, Kayla walked away from Ephram. "Well, Tommy we meet again," she said. It wasn't that Tommy ever disliked Kayla, it was just that before his heart only burned for Amy. Kayla's eyes glistened as they moved along the features of Tommy's face.  
  
"Yes, I guess we do," he said, noticing her eyes tracing him.  
  
"How did Amy like her necklace?" she asked sarcastically, with a hint of jealousy.  
  
"I never gave it to her. It wasn't appropriate," he said looking at Ephram with sincerity.  
  
"You don't . . . love Amy anymore?" she asked seemingly innocently. Kayla assumed different tones when she spoke with different people. She knew she could be real with Ephram, but with everyone else . . .  
  
"Yes, that's right," he said looking at Bright confidently, as if proving a point. Kayla blushed a little as she saw Ephram laughing. She knew Ephram understood what she was trying to do, and as long as it didn't involve him, he was all for helping her. It didn't hurt that Tommy might get Amy out of his head for good if he dated someone else.  
  
"How about we . . . take a walk?" she said slinking her arm around his.  
  
"DADDY!" Micah said with fresh energy, having just woken up. Kayla's eyes sparkled at the resemblance between father and son. "Who's dat?" he asked him, pointing at the girl around his father's arm.  
  
"This," he said pointing at Kayla, "is my new friend, Kayla,"  
  
"Where's Amy?" he asked, his eyes looking around for her. Tommy and Ephram sighed in unison; Micah really did love her.  
  
"Amy had to go home," Bright said, crouching down to the boy's height.  
  
"You know Amy?" Micah asked him.  
  
"She's my little sister," he said proudly and smiled when he saw the wonderment in Bright's eyes.  
  
"Rwelly?" he said, "Amy's my fwiend," he nodded.  
  
"Yes, isn't Amy wonderful," Kayla said sarcastically but toned down with a glare from all three older boys. She looked down.  
  
"Hey, little guy, I'm going to take a walk with Kayla, you want to come?" Tommy asked his son.  
  
"No, Dewia and I are gonna play," he said running back. Tommy smiled. It was nice to see that his son was interacting with other people so nicely.  
  
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"Can you make them disappear?  
  
Make them disappear  
  
There's a pain that sleeps inside  
  
Sleeps with just one eye  
  
And awakens, the moment that you're near  
  
And I search through every face  
  
Without a single trace, of the person  
  
The person that I need"  
  
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
Kayla and Tommy walked out the front door and Bright and Ephram rolled their eyes and laughed,  
  
"I don't know what girls see in him," Bright said.  
  
"Its not like you like Kayla or anything," Ephram said to his close friend.  
  
"No," he said honestly, "its just that Tommy's so . . . well he has a kid, he's tied down,"  
  
"Well, you know what they say about women liking guys with kids. It shows repsonsibility,"  
  
"Whatever," Bright said laughing, "As long as he stays away from Amy,"  
  
"I'll see to that," Ephram said shaking Bright's hand, "Speaking of Amy, how do you think things went at your house?"  
  
"If I know Mom and Amy as well as I think I do, then probably very horribly. Poor Dad," he said closing his eyes. "I hope she doesn't do anything stupid,"  
  
Amy packed her bags silently upstairs, making sure no one heard or caught on to what she was doing. Being in a house with her mother was impossible, and while she loved her Father and brother, she was beginning to become less attached to Rose. Running away . . . a few months ago she would've never done it, but things were different now. She couldn't run to Ephrams, it would be too obvious; couldn't run to Edna's, they'd find her too simply. She needed to start a new life, with new people. Maybe someday, when she was older and understood herself better, she could return to Everwood. "I won't lose contact with you," she said holding a picture of Ephram and Bright pretending they were fighting, "and only you can know where I am . . ." she tucked the picture away in her suitcase and crept out the window.  
  
````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
" Do you know, that every time you're near  
Everybody else seems far away  
So can you come and make them disappear  
  
Make them disappear and we can stay"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````` 


	46. Just Missed the Train

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 45 uses: "Just Missed the Train," by Kelly Clarkson  
  
Chapter 45: Just missed the train  
  
The day progressed and Amy managed to get farther and farther away without anyone noticing. Rose was too angry to check on her, Harold too afraid that Rose would blow up at him for being gentle with her, and Bright was at Ephram's. Where's a sixteen year old supposed to go when she leaves home? That's just it: Sixteen year olds shouldn't leave home . . . especially under the circumstances Amy did. She realized this about five hours after she left, but too determined to stick it to her mother, and with her depression still in somewhat of a cycle, she took everything too the extreme, blowing it up to about a hundred times worse than it really was. That's the thing about the human mind . . . people interpret things completely differently. Amy was too confused and upset to even consider why her mother would be acting in such a way.  
  
And so she set out to Denver; a place much larger than Everwood, but somehow she felt comfortable there . . . it reminded her of Colin. She didn't take the car . . . it'd have been too obvious if she just drove down the driveway with a suitcase; instead she took a bus. She'd have taken the train, if there was one. In ways she was glad there was no train, it meant Ephram was there . . .  
  
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"Roll over baby  
  
The time has come  
  
To make a little bit more room  
  
I've hung around you  
  
It's getting tough  
  
I think I'm gonna break down soon  
  
Cuz I remember  
  
Crying in the park  
  
It was getting dark  
  
Suddenly I looked up  
  
You were my sky"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"Harold!" Rose shouted down from Amy's room, "Harold, come here!" Her throat painstakingly dry, and with each word she shouted, more damage done to her voice. Harry Abbott ran up the stairs to find his wife sitting on their daughter's bed; the window open; a note . . .  
"Dad and Bright -  
  
I'm sorry, but I had to go. I couldn't stay here any more. I'm going somewhere safe, though I cannot tell you where it is right now. I wish things were different, I really do. I know I'm young and that this is probably the biggest mistake I could make . . . but I want to actually MAKE MISTAKES so that I can learn from them; maybe I've been stupid this whole time, thinking you'd meet my every want, but I can't go back. I will be in contact with Ephram and let him know where I am. Please, don't look for me. I know that's a stupid request, but I mean it. I think it's the best thing for me. I'm not leaving forever . . . I'll be home when the time is right.  
I love you,  
Amy  
  
P.S. - I am not with Tommy so don't accuse him"  
  
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"So go on  
  
And sleep darlin  
  
Why don't you pretend we were just a dream  
  
It's cool baby  
  
It doesn't matter anyway  
  
Well I'm so sorry  
  
Down to the station a little too late  
  
Such a shame  
  
Just missed the train  
  
Just missed the train"  
  
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
Rose Abbott stared at the letter, her tears dripping and staining Amy's last words to them for awhile. "It wasn't even . . . addressed to ME," she cried. Harold sat next to her, wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulders.  
  
"Amy will come home," was all he could say. What was he supposed to say, *Amy didn't address it to you because she's angry with you?* No. He didn't think so.  
  
"That girl is out of control. You know, I have every right to look for her if I choose. She's still a child . . ."  
  
"She said she's safe," he reminded her, not believing he wasn't going to look for her. "It's her will,"  
  
"Oh Harold she doesn't HAVE a will! She's 16!" she said closing the window angrily.  
"That doesn't mean she isn't a person, Rose,"  
  
"I hope she learns her lesson. I've had enough of her," she said running out of the room and slamming the bathroom door. "And Harry, you're doing it again! You're succumbing to her every need. In ways I'm glad she's gone!"  
  
"You don't mean that," he shouted back, "You never mean that," he whispered looking at Amy's note once more.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"Be quiet angel  
  
Don't make a sound  
  
Just save it for a rainy day  
  
Oh can't you see me  
  
I'm such a mess  
  
Just trying hard to find my way  
  
You remember wasting all the time  
  
We were feeling fine  
  
But we couldn't walk the line  
  
We were all right" ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"And so I told Ephram he should marry Amy one day," Tommy explained as he and Kayla were approaching the house after their walk.  
  
"You just let her go? Just like that?" she asked innocently and with apparent disbelief.  
  
"Yes," he nodded, "I knew it was what we both needed,"  
  
"Ephram is a great friend, but to give up a MAN like you," she said twisting her hair. Tommy laughed at the ease with which she flirted with him,  
  
"Kayla," he said as she batted her eyes hopefully, "it doesn't work like that," his smile so sharp and clean that it looked as if it were set in stone. She frowned slightly but giggled just the same,  
  
"Right, how silly of me. Sometimes I still act fake around people," she admitted.  
  
"We'll work on that, okay?" he said raising his eyebrows and patting her shoulder in a friendly manner.  
  
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"Be quiet angel  
  
Don't make a sound  
  
Just save it for a rainy day  
  
Oh can't you see me  
  
I'm such a mess  
  
Just trying hard to find my way  
  
You remember wasting all the time  
  
We were feeling fine  
  
But we couldn't walk the line  
  
We were all right" ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `  
  
"Okay," she said as they opened the front door.  
  
"BRIGHT, EPHRAM, PHONE!" Delia yelled over the laughter in the living room, "It's Doctor Abbott," she said quieting her voice as she brought Ephram the cordless. Bright's eyes widened.  
  
"Hello?" he said nervously.  
  
"Ephram, put Bright on the phone please," he said gently. Ephram sensed the sadness in the usually stiff Doctor's voice and handed his friend the phone.  
  
"Dad?" he asked, leaving his mouth open after the words escaped.  
  
"Bright, I need you to come home. Your sister's run away," he said, tears lingering in his eyes.  
  
"What?!" he asked loudly, "No, no she hasn't! She was fine! She was laughing!" Ephram's heart tore in two. He immediately thought something terrible, like death, had happened to Amy.  
  
"Just calm down and come home," he pleaded, and they hung up.  
  
"Eph," Bright said with a shaky voice, "Amy's run away," Ephram's face turned completely white; all the color draining from it, leaving it thirsty for answers and the warm touch of his love's hand.  
  
"What? When?" he asked nervously, getting his coat on.  
  
"I don't know, but I've got to go," he said gathering all his things.  
  
As they opened the door Tommy and Kayla were standing in their immediate view. "What's up with you guys? You look like death warmed over," he joked. It wasn't a time to joke, and had he known why the two young men looked the way they did, he would've died himself.  
"Just, just get out of the way, man," Ephram said pushing through them with tears in his eyes.  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"Oh why let strangers pass us by  
  
Didn't anyone see we were so damn in love  
  
And we would've made it on time  
  
Yeah  
  
Yeah  
  
Yeah" ``````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
On the bus Amy was sitting next to an elderly woman. The smell of her musty clothes surrounded her, and she began wondering why it was neither of her grandma's smelled this way.  
  
"I used to be pretty like you once," the old lady said with a raspy, smoker's voice. Amy didn't realize she was talking to her and stared forward, still unsure of how she was going to live this new life. "Excuse me, honey, did you hear me?"  
  
"What, I'm sorry," Amy said snapping out of it.  
  
"I said I used to be pretty like you once," she repeated, "so young, so full of opportunities," she said shaking her head with a smile.  
  
"You're still very pretty now," she said kindly, "with age comes beauty,"  
  
"You're very sweet, dear," she said pulling out a tissue, "why do you wear all that makeup?" At this Amy chuckled as the woman began rubbing Amy's left eyelid with the ratty tissue. Amy pulled away in confusion,  
  
"I don't think I wear very much at all, ma'am," she said honestly.  
  
"Right," she said dropping her hand from Amy's face, "my vision, it's going, you understand," There was silence for a few moments. "You look awfully young, where are you headed by yourself?"  
  
"I don't know," she said, feeling the little old woman deserved to know the truth.  
  
"That's not a very safe place," she said closing her eyes, "you come with me when the bus stops at Denver. I'll take you to where I'm going,"  
Not having any other options, Amy agreed. The only other place she knew in Denver was the hospital, and she certainly couldn't live there.  
  
"You'll like it in Denver. I do." The old lady said before nodding off into sleep, "My family's really nice,"  
  
Amy couldn't fall asleep. She thought of Ephram and wondered what he'd say. He'd probably abandon her; say he was sick of her just leaving him. Maybe she deserved it, but somehow she knew when she contacted him he wouldn't be mad; he'd just be upset.  
  
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"So sleep darlin  
  
Why don't you pretend we were just a dream  
  
It's cool baby  
  
It doesn't matter anyway  
  
Well I'm so sorry  
  
Got to the station a little too late  
  
And sleep darlin  
  
Why don't you pretend we were just a dream  
  
It's cool baby  
  
It doesn't matter anyway  
  
Well I'm so sorry  
  
Got to the station a little too late  
  
Such a shame  
  
Just missed the train"  
  
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
A/N: I know this chapter was really short, but homework's been insane and so have all my meetings for organizations. I still like writing this, but homework comes first, unfortunately. Anyways, glad I finally got a chance to update. Please Review and let me know! 


	47. AN: Warning! End of Warm my Heart aroun...

Hey everyone, the next chapter will be the last. Before anyone decides they hate the story, please understand that its intent is to leave you hanging. There will be a sequel in which everything is worked out. Ephram and Amy will be together, Amy will become more responsible, and other twists will be thrown in the plot with the rest of the characters. I've received a few very disheartening reviews about how people don't like this story anymore. For that, I am sorry, but in order to make things work out for the sequel, the characters had to take certain paths - even if it means waiting til the sequel for a truly happy ending. I still appreciate and welcome all views and thoughts on my story, so thank you. :)  
  
Homework and all of my activities this semester have been taking up all of my time, so I apologize for not getting updates out as frequently as I used to, or as I promised I would at the end of January. I will begin the sequel to "Warm my Heart"as soon as I get a moment to breathe between classes, my Teacher's Assistant Job, my other volunteer activities, and my articles for our university's newspaper. I want to thank everyone that hung in there this whole time, hoping that everyone will give the sequel a shot and not just pass it up because this one may not have ended as you would've liked.  
  
All Ephram/Amy fans know that the show isn't working out that well in our favor, but it's still great to watch and anticipate what's to come in the future. Please view my fic and next fic in this same way. I promise, it will work out. I'm just like the rest of you, I want them together and I want them together now . . . but it can't work out like that on tv.  
  
Thanks again, cheers to all of you. Here's to the last chapter of "Warm my Heart," all my reviewers, the WB, and Everwood!  
  
~~lovesopure 


	48. Breakable

Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.  
  
Chapter 46 uses "Breakable" by Fisher  
  
Chapter 46: Breakable  
  
A/N: Hey everyone, thanks for reading my fic. Check out my other A/N at the end of this chapter!  
  
Ephram's breath rose and sank shallowly in his chest; his mind was numb . . . if only his heart could've been so lucky. Instead, the blood that pumped through it seemed as if it should've been cold . . . why not, the rest of his body was. And as he and Bright stepped through the entryway of the Abbott house for the first time since the girl they loved left, the emptiness that Ephram remembered only sat in his stomach the months after his mother died, returned. If they would've had the strength they might have asked how everyone was holding up . . . but Harold Abbott's face said it all.  
  
"The note's upstairs on her bed . . ." he said softly as he saw the concern in both their eyes.  
  
"And Mom?" Bright asked with anger in his voice.  
  
"Your mother left . . . she wanted to spend time with her family," he said closing his eyes.  
  
"But we ARE her family!" Bright said as a gentle tear made its way down his cheek.  
  
"If I'd have stopped her I'd have only made things worse," he said, as if trying to convince himself.  
  
Ephram began to walk up the stairs, remembering how he used to see Amy slide her delicate hand down the banister as she smiled at him. His hand smoothed the texture of that same banister as he tried to absorb any thing she had touched. He could've said a million things when Bright asked him if he was sure he wanted to go up first. *Yes, I love her, damn it, I want to know why she's done this,* or *No, Bright, I can't go up at all, how can I go up first?* or *Why does she always do this to me?* or *She's been through a lot, I'll be here through everything* so instead, he said nothing, he just continued walking.  
  
He lay on her bed, resting his head on her pillow, taking in the remainder of the scent of her shampoo. *Just like her* he said, rubbing his ring finger with his thumb to feel the ring on his finger. Bright bent down to lift the tear stained note off his sister's bed. He read it aloud, hurtfully watching the sorrow in Ephram's eyes grow as he didn't hear his name in the beginning . . .  
  
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"Do you always have to tell him everything  
  
On your mind?  
  
You know that too much honesty can be  
  
So unkind  
  
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"I will be in contact with Ephram and let him know where I am. Please, don't look for me. I know that's a stupid request, but I mean it. I think it's the best thing for me. I'm not leaving forever . . . I'll be home when the time is right. I love you . . ." Bright read, but Ephram interrupted before he could finish.  
  
"How can she just think we'll let her go without looking for her?" he said, his voice suggested hurt and pain.  
  
"I'm surprised my dad hasn't gone all insane looking for her yet,"  
  
"She gave me a promise ring! She looked me in the eye and she told me she loved me! How can she just leave and expect for me to not care?!" he said beginning to cry out of resentment and hurt.  
  
"She said she'd contact you," Bright said, tears welling up in his eyes, "she loves you,"  
  
"And I love her . . . but sometimes I wonder, is love enough?" he said closing his eyes then pausing. He shook his head and reopened his eyes, "of course it is," he said regretting he even questioned his relationship with Amy, "But I won't honor her wish. I won't let go this easily,"  
  
"Neither will I . . ." he said handing Ephram the note and looking out the window. "Where do you think she went?"  
  
"I don't know, but I need to get home . . . the testimony's tomorrow, and I'm already feeling like shit," he said getting up, slapping Bright on the back and walking out the door.  
  
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"And every time you throw him to the floor  
  
Why are you surprised to see he's breakable?"  
  
``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"Now put your things down here, honey," the old lady said, "my family will be here to pick us up in a few minutes,"  
  
"Okay . . ." Amy said narrowing her eyes, "I don't even know your name . . . isn't this a bit awkward?"  
  
"The names Addy Clarkson," she said smiling, the lines in her face showing years of smiles.  
  
"Amy . . . Brown," she said extending her hand to shake the elderly woman's.  
  
"You must be pretty tired honey, forgetting your own name," she said smiling and then breaking into a wave as she flagged down a navy blue ford focus that pulled up to the bus stop. Inside was a man about 35, a woman about the same, and a girl who was about 13, her hair brown and straight. All three stepped out of the vehicle and hugged Addy.  
  
"Grandma!" the girl said throwing her arms around her, "How are you?" Addy leaned down and hugged the girl gently,  
  
"Hi, Belle, sweetheart," Addy responded as the girl removed her embrace to let her parents hug her grandmother.  
  
"Emma, Daniel, how've you been?" she asked smiling.  
  
"Things are going well, mother," the tall, blonde man said hugging her. "Did you get everything taken care of"  
  
"Yes, the banking is finally getting straightened out. Your father had so many accounts I didn't even know about," she said sadly, "he was a great man," Emma hugged her.  
  
"We all miss him," she said.  
  
Addy then turned to Amy, who was awkwardly looking at the floor. "I'd like you all to meet a new friend of mine," she said as Amy looked up, "This, is Amy Brown," Amy blushed at the mention of Brown as her last name. She didn't normally like to lie, but she had to remain somewhat anonymous. "She needs a place to stay for a little while . . ."  
  
"Hi," Amy said softly, her cheeks reddening. "It's nice to meet you all,"  
  
"We'd LOVE to help you, Amy," Emma said touching her shoulder. Amy was surprised at how welcoming they were being. "Where are you from, dear?"  
  
"I'm from Phoenix, Arizona," she said lying.  
  
"Why'd you get a bus in Everwood, Colorado then, dear?" Addy asked suspicously.  
  
"I was resting there for a night," she tried to make a plausible story.  
  
"Of course, how silly of me," Addy said as they all got into the car.  
"How old are you?" Belle asked. She seemed excited to have another girl around.  
  
"I'm sixteen, how old are you?"  
  
"I'm thirteen," she said proudly, "Wow, so you drive?"  
  
"Yes," Amy said laughing. The girl's smile reminded her of Delia's . . . her heart clenched in her chest.  
  
"Cool," she said hopefully, "Maybe if you stay with us for awhile we can go shopping?"  
  
"Well, if it's okay with your family, then sure!" Amy said. She was glad she'd be able to establish a new personality while she was in Denver.  
  
Maybe she should've picked a farther away location than Denver. In her heart she wanted to believe that Ephram and Bright and Dr. Abbott would let her be . . . but something told her it wouldn't go that easily.  
  
As they pulled into a driveway, Amy's eyes washed over the beautiful red brick house. She almost gasped at its tranquility. "It's so sophisticated,"  
  
Daniel smiled, "Thank you," he said. "Your room will be next to Belle's" he said as they walked into the beautiful foyer.  
  
"Yeah, follow me!" Belle said waving. After a few hours, as it became dark outside, Belle asked Amy if she wanted to watch a movie.  
  
"Actually, I need to make a phone call," she said nervously, "but don't worry, I have a cell phone,"  
  
"Oh, right," Belle said whispering and winking, "I'll give you your privacy. I know how much I hate it when people listen to MY phone conversations," her voice raising, making her parents and grandmother chuckle.  
  
"Thanks," Amy said pulling out her phone. Her hands shaking, she dialed Ephram's number. She prayed he'd pick up . . . if not she'd call back. She wouldn't let anyone else know it was her.  
  
"Hello?" a tired, weak familiar voice said on the other side. It sounded as if he'd either just woken up or been crying for a long time. Her heart sped up, she gathered the strength to respond,  
  
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"You always try to find what's holding him  
  
Away from youBut do you ever see your anger standing there  
  
Right between you?  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `  
  
"Hi," she said and her tears began to flow freely, quickly.  
  
"Who, who is this?" he asked angrily, "Kayla, if this is you just say,"  
  
"It's not Kayla," Amy said through broken words, "It's me, Ephram," his eyes shot open, his teeth clenched. Anger and resentment and pain and worry and love . . . they each ran through his brain intersecting with the others.  
  
"Why'd you go?" he asked fiercely. It broke her heart to hear him sound this way, but she knew she deserved it.  
  
"I don't know . . . I was fine . . . and then mom . . ."  
  
"So you left everyone else just because you had an argument with your mom? Amy . . . you have no idea how much pain you caused everyone else . . ."  
  
"I'm sorry . . . I love you, Ephram . . . I do! Please know I'll never stop. I'll come back and we can be together forever, I promise,"  
  
Andy Brown entered the room, not knowing who Ephram was talking to, "Ephram, the testimony's been cancelled for tomorrow . . . so you can sleep in tomorrow . . . I know you need it," he said half smiling, but more out of pity.  
  
"Well what's going to happen with Tommy and Micah and Faith?" he asked, covering the phone so Amy didn't think he was talking to her.  
  
"Nothing . . .Ephram . . . Mr. Callahan killed himself last night . . ." he said sadly. That day's news was just getting worse and worse. Mr. Callahan was a bad man . . . but no one's so bad that they need to kill themself. "The Callahan's are moving back home," he said, "I'm sorry to have bothered you while you're on the phone," closing the door as he exited. Ephram's heart was beating quickly, everything was going horribly wrong that day. He removed his hand from the phone and began to speak to Amy once again,  
  
"I love you too . . . but don't promise . . ." it hurt him to say these words.  
  
"But I do promise! I love you . . . I just need to figure out who I am. I need to . . . Ephram I need to grow up," she admitted.  
  
"If you can't grow up in Everwood, I don't know where you can grow up. Everyone who cares about you is here! I don't know where you are . . . where ARE you?" he asked, stopping his train of thought.  
  
"I can't say," she said, knowing this would make him angry.  
  
"You can't even tell me? I thought you said you'd let me know!" he said, his voice brimming with accusation.  
  
"In time," she said crying.  
  
"I'm going to find you . . . I'm going to come and find you, wherever you are,"  
  
"No, Ephram, no," she cried.  
  
"Yes, Amy, you don't get it! I love you. Bright loves you. Your mom and dad and Edna and Irv and Delia and My Dad . . . We ALL love you . . ."  
  
"I don't mean to hurt you . . ."  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"And every time you throw him to the wall  
  
Why are you surprised to see he's breakable?"  
  
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````  
  
"You already have. Just tell me where you are and let me come and get you. I'll come right now. I'll drive in the middle of the night, in the morning, in the afternoon, for days . . . Just tell me! Please," he said, she knew he was bawling now.  
  
"I can't," she repeated, "I'm sorry,"  
  
"Then don't call me until you can," he said moving to hang up the phone but picking it up again and whispering in it, "I'll love you til the day I die . . ." finally resting the phone back on the hook, his face soaking with tears.  
  
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"Tell the world that he's breaking your heart  
  
Go tell the world nothing's ever your fault  
  
Go tell them all"  
  
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
In Denver, Amy cried too. She cried long and hard. Maybe she was dumb, maybe she should've just lied and said she didn't love him . . . but she never lied to Ephram . . . not to Ephram.  
  
"Amy? Are you okay?" Belle said seeing her new friend crying.  
  
"I'm fine," she said, putting on a smile. . . but even Belle, who'd only known her for a few days, could tell it was fake. Belle shook her head, showing she didn't believe her.  
  
"Is it about a boy?" she asked blushing.  
  
Amy nodded.  
  
"Do you love him?" she asked. Amy nodded again. "What's it like to be in love?"  
  
"Its sort of like . . . when you've been outside for a really long time in the cold and you sit in front of a fire when you come inside. It warms you up, from head to toe," she said smiling.  
  
"It warms all of you?" she asked, inquisitively.  
  
"Yep. It even warms your heart," Amy said smiling, even though her heart was breaking with each moment she was away from Ephram.  
  
"Then why are you crying?"  
  
"I just realized I have to be outside in the cold for a really long time before I can come back inside and warm my heart," she said, her face falling into her hands.  
  
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"And every time you throw him to the floor  
  
Why are you surprised to see he's breakable?  
  
And every time you push him to the wall  
  
Why are you surprised to see he's breakable?"  
  
````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
To Be Continued . . .  
  
A/N: Hey Guys! I'm really looking forward to writing the sequel to this. As I said before, thank you all for hanging in there. I appreciate the reviews you've sent, they've been extremely helpful! Please send your final thoughts and comments in reviews for this chapter and let me know your feelings on how this went. Stick around for the sequel, which will probably show up in a week or so, maybe sooner if time allows. Thanks again, and Happy February! 


	49. NOTE

Hey, for those of you who havent read "Warm My Heart," please give it a read before you read "Echoes of You." EoY is the sequel, so you have to know what happened in the first fic to understand the second :-D


End file.
